skrink

Exactly what I needed to know, mchell810 - thanks!  What do you love about it?

Thanks, sparks1093.  I’ve been leaning the same direction in my thinking, but as a new Chase Sapphire cardholder, I’m not familiar with their system.  Perhaps someone with this card will jump in—and probably say the same thing as you, ha!  ☺️

I recently got GE.  Because it was just after my birthday when I applied, it’s good for almost six years instead of five!  

Everyone gets interviewed the first time you apply, as I understand it.  The interview was a piece of cake, super fast and easy.  The only inconvenience was that interviews are done only on certain days of the week, so I had to take time off work.

...or maybe it doesn’t matter?

I just booked the priciest trip I’ll probably ever take, a $16,000 January 2022 expedition cruise to Antarctica at the single supplement rate.  

So far I’ve only paid for the deposit and travel insurance.*  I just discovered that the Chase Sapphire card is a good travel card,  so I’ll be applying for it.  Does it make any difference in the rewards perks if I pay the trip balance in installments or in full?  Like, is there any advantage in paying for the trip ~$5000 at a time, a few months apart? 

I usually have no problem charging $4k to a card in three months’ time, trip or no trip.  I’m also on the verge of retirement and plan to travel a lot in coming years.  I hope to use rewards earned on this trip to help pay for a September 2022 Princess cruise.

* The recommended minimum insurance coverage needed for Antarctica is considerably more than what it appears Chase provides.  

🚢 TIA!  

Just changed my plans for Halifax but made a note to myself to fire up the software while there and see how it looks. Would love to hear how user-friendly it is from others who've tried it!

Thanks for the directions to the Memorial! :) I'm looking forward to seeing it. It will be a last "tour" before boarding my flight home.

A special note to any family or friends of those who perished on 9-11: I apologize if I sound like an insensitive tourist. I mean no disrespect and am not visiting the memorial as a curiosity-seeker/gawker, but rather because I served in a professional capacity at Ground Zero and the Staten Island landfill after 9-11 and still have wounds in need of healing. It is my hope that visiting the memorial will help bring some closure. <3

Anyone know how easy is the Silver Line from the port to the airport?

You didn't ask about ship transfers, but just wanted to share that the cost through NCL is $30. Might be worth the extra $25 if you're concerned about using the bus.

Tell us about your plans!

I've been excited and nervous for my first solo trip too (it's two weeks from now), but as it gets closer the excitement is far outweighing the nerves. I can't wait! :)

Just found this excellent resource and hope it will help other travelers.

This website has a directory of GPS-enabled self-guided walking tours for cities all over the world. The ones I looked at are free! Using the example of the app for Halifax, it works offline so you don't need an internet connection or data plan to use it. So you wouldn't have roaming charges when using it.

When I downloaded the walking tour for Halifax, the app shows that it has 6000 guides for cities all over the world. The first five are free. The cadillac version is quite reasonable at about five bucks. I haven't tried out the free version yet but hope to put it to the test in two weeks!

Found an awesome app yesterday that works offline on your phone. Here's a link to a description of the app's features. http://www.gpsmycity.com/apps/halifax-walking-tours-345.html

Best of all, it has walking tours for other cities, too! The first five tours are free to download.

Yes, the one at the airport. From a massport brochure on the location of the memorial, it looks like I might have to go through it before going through security. Is this the case?

[Thinking 'out loud' here...] Fifteen minutes to go through it seems fast--I have a personal connection to Ground Zero. But let's just say 15 minutes for visiting the memorial, then roughly how much time to allow for going to and from it after flight check-in, then to go through security and find my gate?

Thanks for your help. I've never been to Logan before. :)

The ship is supposed to dock at 8 am.

How much time should be allowed to view the 9-11 Memorial? Wondering if I got off the ship quickly, if I would have enough time before my 12:50 flight to pay a visit and my respects.

Thanks, everyone, for your input. Pictures of the Highland Village helped, but I'm still torn on which tour to do. Any other input or suggestions?

I'm on the same cruise and also use just carry-on luggage, so I'll have no delays looking through oodles of suitcases after disembarkation. My flight leaves Logan at 12:50.

Having never flown in or out of BOS before, does anyone know if there are interesting displays in the airport? ORD has dinosaurs, DEN has historical displays and a memorial to one of the 9-11 pilots, Vancouver has fascinating exhibits, etc. How could I do some "touring" while waiting for my flight?

Did those ports last year on a cruise with DD, but she and I tend to split up and go our separate ways ashore. I never felt unsafe once. Of course, I minded my valuables and stayed alert, but there was never, not once, any indication of foul play. Others are right, the ports are overrun with tourists (esp. if there are lots of ships in port at the same time), and many of those tourists also split up and go their separate ways. So you will be in the company of lots of people in the same boat (literally, heehee!), venturing out alone.

In Alaska, everyone is so delighted to be there that even strangers will check in with each other on how the trip is going. So even if you get off the beaten path, there will almost always be someone nearby who seems happy to see you. Not threatening or dangerous, happy. :)

My Bucket List became really important to me after my husband died young.

Same here. I'm sorry for your loss. I was 39 when it happened, how about you?

I've been on my own for almost 19 years now so I'm not going solo as a break from others. Went through the adjustment from other-focused pursuits to me-focused ones a long time ago. However, for safety reasons I have traveled with others--until now. I'm booked on my first solo cruise two weeks from now, on the NCL Dawn to Canada & New England. Yay me! :)

My main concern with traveling solo is that I might not be as motivated to go sightseeing as I am when traveling with my daughter. When she and I travel, it doesn't matter if I'm tired or have to get up early--I will still take advantage of opportunities to sightsee and we will pack in a full day. Traveling solo, I'm afraid I might waste opportunity. (I know myself well and know how unmotivated I can be sometimes. Seem the older I get, the less energy I have!)

Anyone here ever been unable to get yourself going when traveling solo?

:eek: No coffee cards on NCL? What are they thinking?!? :eek:

I, too, am wondering if specialty coffee cards/packages exist. Got spoiled cruising with Princess (in many ways, but that's another story). On Princess I could get a better deal buying the card than buying a'la carte. Can't find any info on NCL's website except in the Welcome Aboard brochure, which says "Specialty coffees available for a nominal extra charge" at the coffee bar.

"Nominal extra charge" seems to contradict the prices shown above. Would really like to find out more about package options specific to coffee.

EDIT: Nevermind, I thought the search option would bring up the most relevant posts first. Digging deeper shows that there is no coffee card/package with NCL. Thanks for posting the prices, johnql!

Not trying to start a brawl here, but... ;)

IMO, it was the opposite. St. Martins was like a photo stop to me, with scenery similar to what you can see in a thousand other places near coastline. Hopewell Rocks, on the other hand, iexceeded my expectations. It is far more than flower pot rocks, it is world class. We were there near low tide and the magnitude of the tidal changes was quite visible, even during the half-hour we were there. I cannot emphasize enough the vast scope of the area affected. You cannot get it all in your camera's viewfinder, it's so big. At high tide, you are left to simply wonder how much the sea has changed. At low tide, you can see it. It was one of the highlights of an already stellar cruise itinerary.

Chengkp75, loved your comments!

If memory serves me (and it sometimes doesn't!), on a tour to Hopewell Rocks from Saint John two years ago, the driver said we were going through moose habitat. I remember it was somewhere between Saint John and an osprey nest alongside the road. Wherever it was, there were fences on either side of the road to keep the moose off the highway. But of course we never saw any, sailing by at 55 mph.

Maybe he said deer habitat instead of moose?? :confused:

I signed up late for the Norwegian Dawn Oct. 3rd trip and have limited choices. One of the things I most want to see is wildlife/nature.

Which of these two NCL excursions would you pick and why? TIA!

The Bras D'or Lake excursion (6.5 hours) says this:

"Experience the rich Scottish heritage of Cape Breton Island with a visit to the Nova Scotia Highland Village and the Village of Baddeck. Travel to Iona and immerse yourself in the Scottish pioneer culture at this living history museum located on a hillside overlooking the Bras d'Or Lake. Featuring a journey through 180 years of Cape Breton architecture, step back in time as your costumed guides provide meaningful commentary. Each structure, from the simple one room Scottish Blackhouse to the more advanced, multistoried colonial homes are filled with furniture and interesting artifacts.

You'll travel by cable ferry to the seaside community of Baddeck, home of Alexander Graham Bell. Nestled along the shoreline of the Bras d'Or Lake, this picturesque village features plenty of interesting gift shops and cozy cafes. You'll be served a buffet lunch at a resort hotel and then enjoy leisure time strolling the main street while window shopping or perhaps relaxing for a bit while watching the pleasure boats ply the calm waters of the lake. You'll tour the Alexander Graham Bell Museum prior to your scenic drive back to Sydney. "

The Scenic Cabot Trail (7 hour excursion) description:

"Experience the Cabot Trail as you drive along a small portion of the Atlantic shore from the port of Sydney to Black Brook. You'll view some of the most dramatic and pristine scenery in North America including spruce covered mountains, tranquil rivers and ocean beaches. This tour reveals vistas that inspired Alexander Graham Bell to observe, "I have traveled around the globe. I have seen the Canadian and American Rockies, the Andes and the Alps and the highlands of Scotland, but for simple beauty, Cape Breton outrivals them all."

Picture stops along the way will help you remember some of the most dramatic and unspoiled scenery you experienced while on Cape Breton Island. Enjoy a buffet style lunch along the Cabot Trail before returning to your ship. "

Your plans may be made by now as it's been awhile since you posted, but I wholeheartedly recommend a tour to the Hopewell Rocks area. Not only is it a natural wonder (world's highest tides), but you pass through wild blueberry fields and moose habitat going to and from. If the trees are turning color, it's a pretty drive.

Have fun on your trip!

Really? You just made my day! I booked a coastal drive to Peggy's Cove just last night and now have a goal of getting a puzzle-worthy shot! Thank you! :)

Oh my gosh, this sounds fantastic, Arusha! Can't wait to explore your links. Thanks very much!

Not only is Peggy's Cove a great destination, but the drive to and from is good, too. I would go again.

When we were in Peggy's Cove two years ago, I felt like I was in one of those spectacular jigsaw puzzle scenes, it was so picturesque! In fact, I searched high and low for a souvenir jigsaw puzzle of the area, which would have made a perfect souvenir, but none were available. <sigh>