MaisonRose

You can drop off luggage and people at your hotel, and then turn the car in on the French side of the GVA airport and take a bus back into town, which isn't far.

I

"Bouillabaisse Charter". Only those who serve traditional quality Bouillabaisse are permitted to be members and should display their membership. If you search on the net for Bouillabaisse Charter Restaurant Members Marseille, you should find the website easily. It lists all members. You can then compare reviews, prices etc and decide which you might prefer.

 

Chez Fonfon is one of the most famous restaurants in Marseille and sits in an charming little mini port where you would least expect to find it, but there are others to fill.

This is excellent advice. Two years ago my DH took me to Chez Fonfon for bouillon...can't spell it. It is off center, out past the Prado, and very quiet. There is a more famous place on the Vieux Port that I would like to try someday. The Miramar at 12 quai du Port. You must reserve!

I liked the starter broth like soup more than the later serving of stewed fish.

Price is correct. Very labor intensive and these fish are over $ 15 a lb.

Take the TGV. As you board there are luggage racks just inside the entry, but lifting up heavy bags from the platform is difficult.

When on the train, every stop, which isn't often, I get up and saunter to where my bag is and keep an eye out...but generally your bags will be okay.

Naturally a car is simpler and there is no surcharge if you return to the FRENCH SIDE OF GENEVA AIRPORT. Auto Europe is very knowledgeable about these details.

Take the high speed train, the TGV.

IF YOU RENT A CAR, SCHEDULE THE RETURN TO THE FRENCH SIDE OF GENEVA AIRPORT.

Even so, a car is not good..the traffic is pretty bad.

Born in Ajaccio. You can visit his house.

Ships dock right snack in the center and one st back there is a nice pedestrian st parallel to the port, go right and walk along there. Good museum along there.

Ajaccio, I think, is the least lovely of Corsicas towns. But you can stay amused for sure.

Someday go back and stay, the island is gorgeous, a hiker 's haven and really feels like France in the fifties. The people sadly aren't friendly or welcoming.

Nevertheless it has much to offer, but it would be hard to discover its charms in less than a day.

As you probably know, Bonaparte is buried in Paris.

Susan

I googled marseille tourist office cruise port transport

And came up with

Marvelous provence

http://www.marvellous-provence.com/travel/water/marseille-cruise-ship-port

which is full of info.

What has always worked for me was getting together with other pax to share a taxi. I personally would go to Joliette where there is a main short ride tram.

If you head for the Tourist Office on la Canabiere (can a beer) you can't go wrong. It is just above the Vieux (old)Port.

For shoppers: once at Joliette walk back toward the bay/water where there is a fab new shopping center, open EVERY DAY called

Les Terrasses (lay tare OSS).

The ground floor has a modest food hall (lay all) and fab ice cream place called Barbaraz. There is a wine shop.

The main level has a Printemps, H&M, many shoe and clothing stores, a good kitchen shop, linens..and on the bay, with views , several restaurants, one an Italian place selling freshly made pastas, pizzas, and made before your eyes main course salads. There is outdoor dining at both the seafood restaurant, called Roy Rene, and the Italian one which is a bit like Panera.

There are elevators and escalators and it is all wheelchair accessible.

So if you just want to while away the day this might be a choice. It is before the MUCEM. which is the new museum of Mediterranean history, a stunning building.

I just went there yesterday and was amazed that after years of road building, this area is finally sorted out.

If you want to go to the shopping, just take a taxi directly, it is less than three miles. Tell the driver

Lay. Tare OSS

I haven't notice a grocery store or pharmacy in the center, but I am sure there is something near the Joliette tram.

Susan

We`ll be spending a few days in Paris.

 

Any ideas (brands/models) about a good to very good electrical adapter.

 

Primarily for iphones and ipads (gotta protect these), but also for dws curling iron.

 

TIA!

Hi,

I have good news. I live in France half the year and was delighted to find ipad and iPhone charging wires for Europe on that big retail site starting with an e with a body of water.

I think they are on that site named after big, strong women or a South American Forrest.

I bought mine on the first, it wasn't expensive and is very handy for travel, esp since you can use it in the ships European plug conx and still have the 110v plug available for some other electronic item.

BHV on the rue Rivoli, facing the Hotel de Ville, has a fantastic hardware section in the basement..you can get a plug adapter there..but your hotel might well have loaners.

Have fun! We are going to Paris for a mini hol next week.

It isn't formal at all, but of course swimming togs are not the dress of the day, just casual wear.

The tea consists of table service in the MDR with linens, etc. The crew brings around nice little tea sandwiches, desserts that include mini tarts, profiteroles, eclairs, etc. It is quite nice, you arrive and fill in at the next available table.

I did feel a bit rushed when not arriving at the appointed time, I think the crew is hoping for a rest before dinner time. Ryndam, last Fall TA ) IMHO

THE Indonesian tea is spectacular with a posh centerpiece and if I remember correctly, you take your goodies off the centerpiece table which is just inside the MDR ENTRANCE. It is exotic and represents a major effort by the chefs and the dining staff. The only thing I noticed first time around is that it is ill timed for the passengers who have early dining, and on my two HAL crossings the tea started before the main trivia session was over ( why I would be late). I guess the Cruise Director doesn't think that the sharks at Trivia care about a relaxing tea time.

SusanM

I am booked in a guarantee OV in H and hope that I will be upgraded but stay on the Lower Promenade deck.

The photos are incredibly helpful.

Coming over in the Spring I was given a partially obstructed view balcony on the Silhouette and thought it would be ok. It wasn't.

We saw nothing but orange tender roofs below our balcony and it really did spoil the ambiance. This was 6245, C2 category. For the first two days the cabin sounded like there was a jet engine in the A/C ducts.

Anyway, thank you to everyone who mentioned specific things about the S class OV cabins.

I did the cabin crawl on the '13 westbound and can say that EE 389 and EE390 are huge and right by the doors to the promenade deck and are designated H cabins.

Cheers,

Susan M.

Hi to the first timers on this thread.We're also HAL newbies and will be cruising the Caribbean on the Eurodam in March of 2015.I'm really enjoying the friendliness of this group!All these little tips are great to know.Every cruise I look forward in anticipation for what will happen.I've heard really good things about HAL,and DH & I are looking foward to our sailing next year!;)

If you are sailing on the bigger ships, nothing is better than the Asian fusion restaurant, Tamarind (supplement: well worth it).

Bon Voyage,

Susan

And food trivia.

The library and the afternoon tea.

Definitely the promenade deck.

And best of all: the great crew!

Name her

THE MARINER

Hi, the good news is that you will live.

Before you cruise there are two especially important things to do

1. Attend the training sessions offered by your local hospital or clinic. You will learn more about the disease and how to control your blood sugar.

2. You should learn how to do the blood sugar test and take these supplies with you.

What I learned is that it is important to spread out the intake of glucides, not having more than the recognized figure at one sitting.

To eat every four hours, and in smaller amounts. This prevents your blood sugar from plunging..which causes clear symptoms that can run from "peckishness" to mental confusion and even blurry vision.

That is just a little piece of the reply but over time you will fall in to a routine and management will be fairly automatic. And the good news is that on a cruise ship you have lots of food choices.

Good luck: if you learn all you can and follow the guidelines, diabetes isn't the end of the world.

Susan

This is an informative discussion and addresses an issue that I have not needed to watch, which is the popularity of an itinerary and how many passengers the market takes there per season.

But on my transatlantics I book usually very close to final payment and the price always drops further about two weeks later!

For one thing, the consolidators turn in unsold cabins then.

Right before that the consolidator I use offers more OBC so they have a sale rather than a turn back.

I always book a guarantee and have gotten upgraded every time. The only cabin I didn't like was on the Silhouette verandah partially obstructed 6245, with the evac boats hanging right below our balcony: I really didn't think it would matter, but those orange roofs really spoiled the view. The smoking area was below our balcony but never noticed any smoke.

Anyway it sounds like the popularity of the cruise and date are important, by all means watch them on as many websites you can (it seems that a price decrease appears the same everywhere at the same time..the difference between agents is perks and service. I use an agent by phone who is "my guy" and services the client throughout the trip...I don't like agencies that departmentalize between sales, service, complaints, docs, insurance, etc. You never know the person you are talking to.

I saw it reported on French TV ( so it has to be true). LOL

now, you new born little numb ****

When we get close to retirement age our skin gets thin and vulnerable to cuts and abrasions, which can be a problem once your circulation slows down.

Also diabetics are under doctors orders to wear clean sox every day no matter what.

So, if you are lucky, you will get to grow up to a cranky old age, wear sox with your sandals and remind the younger generation to GET A LIFE and stop worrying about such silly things...

(Sending my love to you for a long and happy life)

Cheerio....dearie.

And what about your wonderful crew?

As a Ryndam lover, with limited experience, I pose this question to HAL afficianatos:

What ship in the fleet most matches the Ryndam experience?

Thanks..

Susan

I hope to do her eastbound TA in April and her Venice to Singapore swan song in Oct. 2015.

We used to think that the "no white after Labor Day rule" was a little fussy. But then we moved to Maine and realized it was a matter of personal safety. When the first snowstorm hits Northern New England (approximately mid September) people wearing white do not stand out from the background (huge drifts of snow, taller than a man's hat.) Wearing white after Labor results in many needless deaths as people are hit by snow plows or get lost in blowing, drifting snow.

 

This is also why your more savvy, hippie stoners wear colorful fleece socks with their sandals or Birkenstocks. It keeps them from losing track of their feet as the snow piles up while they're on their way to get some Ben and Jerry's at the convenience store (the "Cumby.")

OMG. Get me a G&T while I dry my eyes.

BTW sox under sandals is a new fashion fad!

Just thinking of a practical matter, historically (before air con) I think white in warm weather was a reflective color, while dark colors absorb heat and so are good for cool weather.

Anyone?

The prices for hotels and food and transport will be the same in either month, though air travel should be cheaper in May: a little.

Be sure to look up holiday dates in France...there are three long weekend where people will be on the road because schools will be out, though there won't be too many closures that affect tourists, such as restaurants and museums.

If you can get a French speaker to book that TGV train 90 days before travel, you will get better rates..and there are specials often for two travelling together, for seniors (over 60) and for families.

I just paid 122 Euros for two one way tickets from Avignon to Barcelona BY TRAIN.

Also check the discount airlines like EasyJet, Ryan Air, FlyBE.

Don't forget the sauna, steam room and hot tub!

The masseuses might be a useful resource, too.

Susan

But I fell in love with the Ryndam: that's it!

White in the Caribbean is fine. Most will be wearing shorts as it is warm!

I am wondering about wearing white in Oct. in the Med....thoughts anyone??

Hi, I live 40 km from the Med and by Oct you won't see French people wearing white (slacks) but perhaps khaki would serve your needs and you won't feel out of place, by Oct it is just a seasonal thing, while fabric might still be lightweight.

But, OF COURSE, you can do what you want. Do bring a sweater or light rain jacket...it was so cool this summer we wore sweaters every evening!

Susan

We were on the same Silhouette sailing, and thought the tea in the Ocean View was the best teabag tea we've ever had, better than Twinings or Bigelow. We mostly drank the Earl Grey, and found it to be smooth, aromatic, and intense; no edges. It was not a generic brand, it was Fields & Select.

Hi. Ship geeks, I am happy to hear that you enjoyed the Fields & Select earl grey (my favorite aroma as well), it goes to show the old adage "different strokes for different folks" applies often where taste buds are in play!

It made me wonder why I never heard of this brand. So of course I goggled it and there wasn't any mention of the brand Fields & Select on the first three pages..I was too lazy to look further. I did come up with a site called best tea brands in the world which listed Twinings first and Bigelow sixth. Not that it matters, we each like what we like :-). For tea lovers everywhere, Celestial Seasonings, Tazo, Lipton, Harney and Sons rank 3to5, Tetleys is 9 and Red Rose is 13. For our British friends, PG Tips is 15.

Oh my goodness, this got way too overwhelming but fun if you have time to play with google! In any case I will be travelling with a zip lock of my favorite Earl Grey.

Cheers, Susan

One of my great disappointments on April's crossing on the Silhouette: a generic tea in the MDR and Lido.

Those who do special things like warm the pot etc will appreciate this tiny rant. It is hard to be on a ship for 14 days and not enjoy a good cuppa in the morning ( just like some coffee drinkers who can't get started without their first cup of Java). I was devastated to find that there was no Bigelows or Twinings in sight, a remedy solved when I walked a long way in Gibraltar (day 10) and got my own tea bags, and thank goodness the Silhouette stopped in a British territory!

This situation gives me an unsettled feeling, that, LORD, I have to take my own tea bags (which has been a standard issue on previous sailings.)

To say nothing of a jar of instant coffee to ratchet up the strength of the brew on board.

And even sadder, the specialty teas and coffees may impress the X generation, but they don't offer a cozy alternative for me. In fact, the coffee bar on the Ryndam produces a Cappucino of questionable taste, claimed to be Italian, that I threw out my one trial. (I love the Ryndam and they retain my loyalty, they have my favorite Earl Grey in all venues ) happily I am not too fussy about coffee, it is a supplemental drink for me!

Anyway, I wouldn't think of sneaking wine or liquor on to a ship, but bringing my own tea bags, well, that feels strange.

What next: bring your own butter because they've switched to margerine?

Thanks for listening! Susan

My waste of time would be the toilet lids in the public areas. Why do they have them? There is no room in there to really move - so it isn't like you need to set anything on them. So now lets have everyone touch the lids to lift them and put them down (so you can flush) - ICK. In the cabins, the lids make sense. In the public areas - no, and just a germ fest. I considered maybe for sloshing in rough seas - but I'm not sure that would really help since they don't appear water tight.

DR Oz had this demo on a show....

And believe me, I have been putting the toilet lid down before flushing, ever since.

The spray projects as much as...get this: 40 feet!