irvington

This is so incredibly helpful. Thanks! I'm going to download the PDFs as suggested and then come back with more questions. 🙂

I traveled a lot in this area, decades ago when there were fewer English speakers there, and it was very easy to get between Osaka and Kyoto, lots of trains and very safe and clean.

I've been looking at their itineraries for 2024 and am getting close to deciding to take one of their trips. But it is a bit of a flyer since I don't know anyone who has traveled with them. So a variety of questions (some quite dumb) in case anyone sees this: - Although personally I'm super intrigued by their cruises to ancient sites, the itinerary that first caught my eye and may get the most traction with the group is of the Scottish and Faroe Islands. My husband and I, separately and together, have been trying to get to some of these places since the 80s! The excuse to splash out to a more expensive trip than we usually take (but can afford) is my 60th birthday, but I am thinking it could be good to compromise. - I think if we do the island trip it will be more wildlife related but hoping we could do some hikes and also culture/history aspects since that's my passion. - I read somewhere that the atmosphere is more country hotel, which will suit us - my husband is not a mass market cruise fan, but we had a lovely trip to Ireland in the summer staying in country hotels with our older son. We love scenery and culture and are always game to meet new people, but we don't need shows or casinos. though we do tend to like to sip a drink on deck (assume we could even do that on our own). - I'm thinking we will take our sons who are in their 20s. I realize that's not the demographic but they like travel and culture and I'm hoping that won't be odd. - Anything more about life on board, whether there are speakers or discussions of what we will see (a plus), etc. would be helpful. Also anything about what are/are not extra charges compared to other lines. - Assume most people onboard are from the UK - hoping they would be friendly to Americans? We honestly prefer not to travel in American dominated spaces but don't want on the other hand to invade areas where we aren't welcome.

Thanks, I didn't read all of them but this was super helpful for a trip I'm thinking of taking in 2024. I'm going to read your reviews too. This might be the wrong thread, but we are looking at different itineraries than you, but curious about the onboard experience and will look at your reviews with that in mind. Thanks for all you do in these forums!

I posted in another thread, but I agree I am seeing worse downgrades in hotel stays, here in the US West Coast at least. The staffing shortage in hotels and restaurants is acute - short hours in restaurants and bars, eliminating lunch service, hotels that have dirty lobbies, no staff to clean rooms even on request. An aging workforce (which problem has been gathering steam for a while) and a desire for lower wage workers to avoid public-facing, service roles (both covid related and to avoid difficult customers) has gutted availability of workers. Health care is having the same problem.

I found several shady spots on the Apex Retreat deck.

FWIW I was on Apex last summer with one of my adult sons. He believes he is someone who likes more "normal" food and it is a (mostly humorous) point of contention with the rest of our family that he feels we are always dragging him to restaurants with weird food (and there's plenty of it in Portland OR). He completely loved Luminae food. One night we went to the MDR because nothing sounded good on the Luminae menu, and he said it was a mistake because everything tasted so much better in Luminae. I do know sometimes he got the "always available" items and I remember our waiter explained that without prompting the first night. He's in his 20s, so still has a big appetite, and sometimes he got something later from the buffet (which when we were on was quite good).

I would have to say I'm seeing much worse reduction in service and so on in hotels. Most of my recent domestic travel has been on the West Coast, and I know we are having severe staff shortages, but ever since the pandemic I'm seeing lovely hotels that I went to for years (mostly for work, but ones that have lots of tourist custom too) dirty, no one helpful behind the front desk, can't get things repaired in the room, etc. I'm really low maintenance, so I never complain, but it has been shocking and sad to see how downright dirty some of these places are - as opposed to the cruise I went on last summer, which was a lovely experience. I have family and friends working in hospitality. They report the staffing situation is grim, and now with inflation, it is getting worse in terms of what hotels will offer.

This hadn't occurred to me, but I was able to find a video of our cabin which was helpful. Thanks!

That's good news. I really like the Acropolis Museum in Athens.

I've had good luck with What's App type calls with the Premium internet but I agree with the posters that you can't bet on it working at a certain time.

Has anyone done the Radio Classique cruises with Ponant?

I loved the Athens Gate when we were there last summer - amazing location and views, very nice people working there. What cruisemom42 says about the Grande Bretagne has me intrigued since I love archaeology - I have a (law) conference there in a few years and assumed I would stay somewhere nearby to avoid the high cost, but now I'm thinking I might need to splurge.

We loved having Oyster cards preloaded our last trip and used the buses and Tube a lot. Very easy. I think my son used Google maps when he was figuring out our route, but I used a London specific app when it was my turn - I think it was Bus London.

Thanks for such a great virtual trip! After reading your report on Greenland, I put that one on my list, but I have been looking at Ponant too (Canary Islands or Sicily) and I will look forward to your comparison! So many wonderful places to travel; it helps to have virtual travel like this to fill in the between times.

Thanks and I'm really looking forward to this. I am really interested in the itinerary and also the experience of cruising solo. (I think I may try a solo cruise for my 60th birthday.)

This seems sort of odd, given that it was open on our (very empty) Greek cruise last summer after things reopened. They did radically decrease the activities and so on so I would think there was where they would cut costs first.

Thanks for the information on this. Hopefully I get the points but the seminar is fairly interesting in and of itself.

We were driving but really loved the Southern Coast of the places you mentioned.

I found those online and I'm tempted. I go to dressy events at home and trying to find out comfy and dressy shoes is hard.

These look really great. I could use them locally for the store and then put one in my suitcase when I travel.

thanks, this is really helpful. Your idea is intriguing about the airport hotel since we would be onsite for getting up early - I was afraid if we stayed overnight in Amsterdam proper we'd be in the same boat as leaving the ship (though perhaps not if the port is farther). This is probably a dumb question, but would you head to the Sheraton, drop bags, and then go in to Amsterdam for the day? Are there trains? I will research this but just in case you have done it.

Realize this is a perennial question, and no one knows what the situation will be August 2023 in the airports - but wondering about return flights from our cruise. I'm normally never one to push it, but the best flight home from AMS-PDX leaves at 10:30. I think that's just too early, though I welcome feedback. We tend to want to get home after a cruise, but we could stay another night in Amsterdam. Or we could take a longer set of flights home. Feedback welcome.

I like Chico's traveler collection. Eileen Fisher can be bought at resale places and the pieces seem to hold up well.

exactly the same for me though usually OPI. I have to say I forget the names but I usually do something pinky-red or dark mauve - those seem to look the best with my skin tone. I discovered gel manicures when I broke my wrist and couldn't even cut my own nails, but really love it and will continue.