dani negreanu

We had some tour operators in mind when we docked in Capri (didn't want to book anything in advance). The Wendy's were right at the pier, and it was an amazing tour. http://www.capriwhales.it/who-are-us/?lang=en Just be sure to buy return tickets for the ferry. We took the "quick" one.

@Ozark_Kid John, joining in with hearty Happy Birthday wishes, with hopefully very good news health-wise 💐

Same here, Greg 😉 @Sea Dog

So glad your knee is better. Covid 😢 -- it seems unavoidable... Been there, done that. I hope you get the milder version, and it will be just a bust to your natural immunity. Wow, I "know" you as the "bean counter" who works long hours from Bella's thread 😊. Thank you so much for coming out of your lurking and dropping by just to offer us this very generous option. I really appreciate it 🙏.

Joy, how is your knee? @bobmacliberty how is your cold?

Thank you, Rachel, for the well wishes. Regarding US/Canada based TAs -- not only me, but also my cousin, who lives in Germany, has used them without any problems. She has checked their consumer protection laws, and decided that the risk of Celebrity/RC going belly up is minimal now, and the advantages of booking oversea are big. It all "goes down" to "risk management". You had me checking this option, since Emirates is an excellent company. It seems that their biggest asset is the flight to the Far East (Japan, HK, Thailand), with Miami being on the "other side". The "quickest" I found is almost 23 hours.... I'm "all in" for a stopover in London, but not in the winter...😉

+ 4 , count me in 💐

Even leave at 10am. We always pre-booked a private transfer, took us no more than 90 mins, door-to-door. Plenty of recommendations for shared or private transfers on Italy's ports of call -- https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/464-italy-ports/

I was looking at a cruise agency site, usually very up to date, and only at 2 categories of OVB -- 4D & 2D.

Me thinks you can always book and then have 30 days (?) to transfer... A win-win.

I couldn't "expand", but here it is from previous correspondences -- JMDURLAND at msn dot com

I'm amazed... Not much inventory left.... I was just looking, may I recommend #8664 or #8668? Excellent location, category OVB 2D.

Thank you so much, Mary, for your thoughtful insights. Since DH had his kidney operation, he undergoes bi-annually check ups on his kidney and, actually, his whole abdomen. The last check up was less than a month ago, and all the "plumbing" was "ship-shape"... The ER drs were looking for a heart attack, a metastase on his spine, or, the "favorite" - pancreatitis. So far, nothing was found, which is good and ... bad, since we don't know the origin of the pains. I've always used a North American TA and was eligible for group rates, refundable deposits, and, of course, drop in prices. Now I've moved "north" over the border...😉 I think the issues with Europeans are their Customer Protection Laws (travel agent bankruptcy?) and the exchange rates. And, in G & P case, the conveniency of having a trusted TA close by 😁

Deck 8, and, if not available, deck 6. When we first cruised on Allure, I thoroughly researched which deck is the best. Deck 8 unanimously got the most votes, proximity to Central Park. And that's what we booked. The recommendations were spot on. Far away second was deck 6, proximity to Promenade.

Thank you John and thank you Karen for your kind and generous offers of hospitability. Sadly, we're a small market and forgotten country in the Middle East, and the big carriers do not invest in flights from here... Our only options of direct flights to the East coast are NY, Atlanta and Miami. I don't want to connect through Europe end of January, when the weather is iffy. We always prefer direct flights, even if it means staying in Miami for a couple of days, and then commuting to PC. Still, I really hope for an opportunity to "connect" with all of you. And I don't forget also JC ( @xpcdoojk) and Dorothy @#55worktoplay 😉

Thanks, Graham. We're very limited in our direct flights options from Israel. After our fiasco with a connecting flight to Venice, no more connecting flights for us until the travel will get back to pre-Covid, if ever. Connecting for us means either through NY, which can be very tricky beginning of February, or Atlanta, which I'm not sure it's an easy option. For now, we have direct flights with our national airline or with AA. IIRC, Renee ( @ReneeFLL) said that AA will stop flying this route in the near future...

Thanks, Arzeena. I'll try. The long flight (14.30 hours) is the biggest "deterrent". Also, to really enjoy the cruise, we'll have to arrive at least 3 or 4 days before, otherwise the jet leg will "kill" us... Might need to remain in Miami another day or two, since there are no daily direct flights Tel-Aviv - Miami. I'll start saving for BC tickets...😉 When I checked those for Bella's, they were ~5K each 😢

Thank you so much for your thoughts, Sue. I really appreciate the time you took to share your experience. The CT and MRI scans are very expensive, and the drs have to give a lengthy explanation why they prescribe it. Then, the referral goes through 2 or 3 levels of higher up drs for approval... DH is not keen on CT, since it is hard on his 80% functioning only kidney. For the moment, trying less invasive (meaning potential kidney damage) tests. For now, he is resting and reading the book he meant to read during the long flight 😢

February 2, 2025, WONDER 😘

Maryann, I'm so happy that you & Jim, and all the others from Bella's and this thread, had a smashing time, and got to know "face to face" the posters on both threads.

So, instead of .... [like my very first post] roaming the streets and souks of Marrakech, I'm unpacking our luggage.... Due to DH not feeling well, we had to cancel a few hours before our flight, boarding passes at the ready. DH started complaining about back pain more than a week ago, happens to the best of families, took some very light pain reliever and hopped for the best. By Tuesday, though, he made an app. with our family doctor for the following day. So, Wednesday evening he came home, saying that the dr. gave him something for the pain, and assured him that in 2 days time, he'll be good to go. Took the pill, had a good night sleep, and the future seemed pink. Thursday evening he took a turn to worse, the pain radiating from the back all the way to his upper abdomen. We had a sleepless night, and at 8am were already at our dr. clinic, who, allegedly, had 8am-10am hours, it being Friday, a half day work here. By 9am (!!) his secretary made an appearance, claiming she hasn't the foggiest idea when the dr. will follow.... IF he will follow.... Mind you, after noon on Friday, the only option is ER. In the end, the dr. was MIA. I'll add that he's our entire family dr for the last 25 years, but 4-5 years ago he started to "slack". We keep saying that we'll change him (we're allowed to do that every 3 months, but somehow we felt disloyal to actually do that). We had my b'day celebration Friday evening, but I really wasn't in the mood... DH managed to put a brave face when we got to the restaurant, and DS1 (who was also celebrating his b'day), playfully offered to touch his father's aching back and take his pain away... and, miraculously, it worked!!!! He kept saying: "I'm pain free, I'm pain free". And the evening turned to be a very joyous one. The "pain free" lasted well into the Saturday, we packed and decided that what we'll see and do -- it will be OK. The only thing missing will be DH's Nikon camera, which he decided not to schlepp because of his back. But Saturday night the pain came back in force, to the point of me offering to take him to ER or call an ambulance. He refused, and we had a sleepless night, where it was clear to me that we'll have to cancel. All this time DH continued to take the daily pill, which didn't deliver. Again, at 8am we were at the clinic, again, nobody showed until 9am, when we gave up and asked the clinic in-charge to find us another dr ASAP. Luckily, there was a resident in a clinic nearby, who sent us ASAP to the nearest ER. By this time, I cancelled our flights and our riad (hotel) in Marakkech. Some tests and roentgen pics later, nothing "catastrophic" was found (heart attack and pancreatitis was feared mostly), as the ER dr. phrased it, and I stubbornly asked for something to relieve hubby's pain. In the end, he was given an infusion and sent home with another prescription for his pain. The big problem is that he's very limited in the range of pain relievers pills, since he has one kidney which took an "early retirement", and the other one reciprocated with a caught early RCC, so he's missing a chunk from the one and only working kidney. The struggle is always between pain and kidney... The new pain reliever seems to slowly work, he manages to get an hour or two of sleep, and tomorrow -- another batch of BW. It seems that we're not so lucky with our travels abroad lately. And, living in such a stressful country, we really need the breaks.........

Thank you both. No, it's not too late, and the b'day wishes are gratefully received, as well as those of not the "usual suspects" as @Vibe, @ownedbypets and @voyager70. Many thanks also to @Arzeena, @bobmacliberty, @helen haywood, @Ozark_Kid, @Momof3gurlz, @Keksie and @reallyitsmema 🌷

I was always eagerly awaiting the newest ones. Lee Child is one of the few foreign authors which I can find in Israel, and it is even translated in Hebrew. DH also likes them, so I would buy it in Hebrew for his benefit, and then read them myself. Win-win. We're both of the opinion that Child's latest two are not the best... I very much enjoyed Kellerman's first 10 books or so. I had a very soft spot for the little French bulldog 😉 Again, it is a matter of finding this author here. When DS1 was a flight attendant, he was bringing me loads of books from Barnes & Noble, and when I was, occasionally, in NY (B&N) or London (WHSmith), I was like a kid in a candy store, seeing all the books of my favorite authors... Glad there is another vote for Stanford's books 😘 Thank you, they were 😊 -- ...... I'll quote some of the series in the list compiled awhile ago [my personal marked in red] -- Karin Slaughter -- the Will Trent series JD Robb "In death" Georges Simenon Series Gideon Oliver -Aaron Elkins series Louise Penny’s Gamache series. The Scarpetta series by Patricia Cornwell Elizabeth George’s Inspector Lynley Series. Donna Leon’s Brunetti series. Any books by Tana French Any books by P. D. James JK Rowling (author of Harry Potter series), writing under the name Robert Galbraith -- the Cormoran Strike series. Helen Fields -- the Perfect series. Daniel Silva - Gabriel Allon series Janet Evanovich—Stephanie Plum series. Fox and Hare series. Ian Rankin’s Rebus series Peter Robinson’s DCI Banks series Nevada Barr’s National Parks series Amelia Peabody series by Elizabeth Peters John Sandford , the Prey series and the Virgil Flowers series

Thank you so much, Sue, for your very moving birthday wishes. I'm tearing easily, and this was one of those moments 😘 And also many thanks to Dorothy @#55worktoplay, Mark @h20skibum, @Ocean Boy, Marietta @DaniDanielle and Debbie @Sunshine3601 🌷

May I suggest also Ellis Peters's "Brother Cadfael" series 😊