QuattroRomeo

How far did you get?!?

Happycrafter, I feel your disappointment. It makes me so mad and sad that after all these years, so many cruiseline excursions continue with the same old herd mentality and make no attempt to improve. Mediocrity continues yet prices keep rising.

For those going to the Med later, please Read the cruise reviews on CC. Read the Ports of Call boards on CC. Join tours on your roll call. 8 people in a tour minivan beats a busload any day!

I really hope Alaska is a better experience for you. I see you like YVRteacher's posts, and she has several tips for Alaska after multiple cruises. There are lots of other reviews building up already as well. Check out the other cruise line reviews; the ports are the same! We have only done one Alaska sailing. I booked a trip with Alaska Shore Tours- Yukon Discovery tour from Skagway (signed up directly online with them) and it was an excellent day. 

Another thing I like is the security of being on board. What I mean by that is when travelling with a partner, or family or friends, you can split up and do whatever interests you at pretty much any time of day or night, and not have to worry about them. They are on the ship somewhere!! 

Enjoying the sounds and feel of the ocean. And, unpacking only once!

Yay!! So glad you had a fantastic tour from Livorno. We loved Volterra, even though it  poured rain there for us, too.  Aside from the at-times-too-controlling tour guide, you had a memorable day! The Boccelli experience sounds really interesting; will have to put it on the to-do list!

Your tour from Livorno sounds wonderful, I hope it is so! Sorry that Messina and Naples weren't as good as they should have been. We always do private tours in the Med and make specific requests for stops and food, so I guess that makes a big difference. We did go to Volterra and it is really a neat place. A small walled city - cobblestone everywhere so wear comfy shoes. Beautiful alabaster carvings, bowls, etc in the shops there and really nice Etruscan style jewellery. I hope you have time to really enjoy the place. P.s. if you happen to be into the Twilight movies there are shots taken there. I don't really  know the movies but there is certainly "atmosphere" in this town. I also look forward to your account of the Bocelli experience! Enjoy!

Seafood in Sicily....sounds like a winner! Hope you enjoy.

Tell me you asked  where to get the octopus wall art!!!

Thank you for the gorgeous photos and excellent commentary. And you're right- Utrecht is lovely! Glad you enjoyed your trip and bet you will revisit some of these places!

5 hours ago, mking8288 said:

Found our spot to rest the heels 

 

What a terrific looking skillet of shellfish- limpets? Did you like them?

What a fun display! I even recognize a few items from this trip! Thanks for sharing it.

Do you have a photo of your updated travel wall?

Thanks for the information and beautiful photos!

Looks like you had a lovely ladies' cruise! We've been to these ports so it was very nice to see your beautiful photos of them. Did you have a favourite tour?

You know you are a cruise addict when grilled veggies make you think of being on a ship...!😄

My favourite of you two, so far!

We disembarked Rotterdam March 8, and the survey was in our email the same day.

I received 3 emails from HAL/ Carnival, on Mar 22, 23 & 25, reading 'How were your shore excursions"? Each asked about a different excursion we did on the second leg of our 21 day collector cruise. The tours were taken on Mar 1,2 & 4. I have yet to receive any emails for the 2 excursions taken during the first leg of the cruise Feb 15-25. Why, I have no idea!

8 hours ago, fstuff1 said:

No other filter.

Maybe its just the UK site?

 

Hmm, maybe! It is on the Canada NCL site, and of course on all of the US online agency sites. Do you have some favourite online agencies you could try?

Jade is doing Caribbean in Feb- Mar out of Tampa; we just booked 3 cruises on her during that time period. Then switches to Port Canaveral for April and May. Did you perhaps include a  departure port in your filters?

We bought the refillable mugs at the Dutch Cafe where you then received 25% off any refills. We get a lot of coffees & didn't have a drink package so it seemed reasonable and saved cups and lids. Or so I thought! They still had to put the coffee in a paper cup and pour it into the mug while I held it. It seems they were still under covid protocols for this and therefore couldn't do it directly. I imagine it would be a similar process for your own mug. 

This was Feb 15- Mar 8, Rotterdam, so maybe it has changed or will change soon. 

Koningsdam, Nieuw Statendam, Rotterdam

• Sea View Bar area. (Deck 9 aft)
• Casino-smoking is allowed in designated areas for active players only and only when outside of 12NM from the Netherlands