Roz

@worldtraveller99, thank you for your questions. I'll respond tomorrow when I have more time to answer them thoroughly.

Last year on my South American cruise I spent $594 on bingo. Didn't win a dime. The only players who won were those who purchased the machines. Sit there in a semi coma and watch the machine 😴 do all the work. On my next cruise, I didn't play bingo at all. I've been sailing on HAL since 2001. Never had an offer of a free or reduced fare cabin.

In December 2022 I took Tauck’s Yuletide cruise on the ms Grace from Amsterdam to Brussels. It had never occurred to me to spend Christmas in another country. I had such a phenomenal time that when I got home, I contacted my TA and had her book me on back to back Yuletide cruises for Christmas and New Year’s this past year. I spent 3 days pre-cruise in Amsterdam and then boarded the ms Grace on December 20. The cruise ended in Brussels and then headed back to Amsterdam where we arrived on January 3. If you want to know more about the day to day details of my cruise, you can find them here: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2979532-back-to-back-yuletide-spirit-cruises-on-taucks-ms-grace/ This review is a summary of my experience, with an emphasis on the pluses and minuses of sailing with Tauck. I was the only passenger doing back to back cruises, and some of my fellow passengers questioned me as to why I was doing this, especially since I had already done the Amsterdam to Brussels itinerary. Even though some of the tours were repeats, different guides emphasis different things, and there’s always something new or changing. I was able to pace myself, so if I didn’t get to see or do something on the first cruise, I could cover it the second time around. I also didn’t have to make what are sometimes hard choices between excursions. I want to do it all! Pluses Tauck is truly all inclusive. The only things I paid for were a manicure and some laundry. Items that were included: Transfer from the airport to my hotel, even though I didn’t book my air or hotel thru Tauck. Transfer back to the airport at the end of the cruise. Gratuities to ship staff, drivers, local guides, cruise tour directors, and the cruise director. Unlimited complimentary beverages such as wine, beer and premium spirits in addition to specialty coffee, water and soft drinks. Choice of 2 included excursions at each port, and sometimes an added excursion at night, such as the canal cruise of the Amsterdam light festival. There were no added pay excursions. There were non-advertised extras and surprises such as a Belgian beer tasting and the national fireworks of The Netherlands on NYE in Rotterdam. When we were in port at lunchtime and couldn’t go back to the ship, Tauck gave each passenger $25 euros to spend how we pleased. In Gouda, Ghent, and Bruges, one of the cruise directors made arrangements with local olibollen and waffle stands for us to have a sweet treat and beverage. All we had to do was show our ship pass key. The bar and dining room staff were always smiling and accommodating. I don't know how they do it day after day. Service on the ship was excellent. And best of all, as a solo passenger, there was no single supplement if I booked the lowest category of cabin. I don't mind "aquarium class", especially when the savings are so substantial. Minuses The tours didn't seem to be run as tightly as last year's cruise. The cruise tour directors were not good at keeping track of passengers on excursions. As an example, a lady in the group needing assistance got left behind at the bus parking lot in Bruges and had to take a taxi into the city. No one was counting heads and/or taking down names and calling roll. I and about 5-6 other people were abandoned in the Royal Delft factory while the others were escorted to lunch. Another lady had to make her own way back to the ship in Amsterdam when the cruise tour director told her to meet the group outside the Rijksmuseum's gift shop, but didn't specify which one. I'm especially sensitive to this as a solo cruiser. Without a cruise companion, it's easy for no one to notice you're not on the bus or haven't rejoined the group. The food tour in Rotterdam was disappointing compared to my experience the previous year. Last year there were 4-5 stops. This year we had 2 - poffertjes and kibbeling. The only surviving medieval structure, a church, was barely mentioned in passing. It was the same tour guide as last year, but he didn't seem to be as engaged. Due to wind and weather conditions, we docked in Antwerp instead of Ghent. That meant we had to choose between Ghent and Bruges. Originally we were supposed to do both on Christmas Eve. Last year we missed docking in Ghent for the same reason. Tauck should just dock in Antwerp and adjust the itinerary accordingly. Overall, the food onboard was great, especially the soups and the Dutch, Belgian, and German specialties the chef worked into the menu. There was only one bad item, and it was the fish and chips at lunch. The pollack filets had skin on both sides - they tasted wretched, and because they were fried, it was impossible to pull off the skin. My dining companion told me I must be "spoiled" if I expected skinless fish filets. Whatever..... Passenger mix - this is something Tauck has no control over, but I'm mentioning it because it was a negative for me personally. Last time there was a sizable contingent of solo cruisers, along with couples and a few family groups. This time there was a handful of solos, and several large extended families along with some smaller family groups. People weren't very willing to share tables, so I ended up eating by myself or with the same 2 ladies who were also sailing by themselves. I enjoy meeting new people and eating with different groups of passengers, and that just didn't happen on this cruise. I would be happy to answer any questions you have on this itinerary, or Tauck in general.

Another example of why booking through a TA can head off a lot of problems, especially for newbies.

The OP said they already tried calling Viking.

If you had booked thru a travel agent, they could probably straighten it out for you. Also, they would have linked the 2 reservations. If it doesn't cost anything to cancel and re-book, that's what I would do. Not extreme, in my opinion.

These lyrics are as relevant today as they were in 1964: "And you better start swimmin' Or you'll sink like a stone For the times they are a-changin' "

Ask Punxsutawney Phil. 🤣🤣🤣

I booked premium economy on my last 3 international trips and it was well worth it to me not to feel like a human pretzel when I reached my destination. Only you can determine what extra seat and legroom is worth to you in relation to your budget.

@daisy-mae, have you deleted the old app?

I use the same registration info for both online and navigator app. My sister and I shared a booking number but have separate accounts. We could both access the booking through our own separate accounts. I don't know what to tell you to solve your problem.

I'm in a similar living situation. We've only had one theft, and that was when my neighbor was at work. Someone broke into his storage shed and stole some tools.

How would someone know my address from CC? Like most people, my CC username is just a "handle". How would an insurance company trace a theft back to CC? Maybe there's something I'm missing. I have the PO hold my mail, so anyone at the PO with access to that info could pass it along.

I've cruised Uniworld and Tauck. I give a slight edge to Tauck. Tauck does little things not included in the official itinerary or pre-cruise information that add to the experience. For instance, on my recent back to back cruises thru The Netherlands and Belgium, we had a Belgian beer tasting one afternoon. Days when we weren't back on the ship for lunch, Tauck gave us each $25 to buy lunch in town. At the various holiday festivals, they made arrangements with a local vendor to give each Tauck passenger a sweet such as a waffle or oliebol and a coffee or hot chocolate. All we had to do was show our ship pass key. As far as shorex, we had a lot of choices that weren't ABCs. 😄 As an example, in Rotterdam we could do a walking tour to view the city's quirky architecture. It included 4 stops to sample local food. We also could tour the Royal Delft Factory and paint our own Delft tile, with lunch onsite afterwards. In Bruges we had the day to wander on our own. I spent most of my time in an art museum, but most passengers shopped and ate mussels and chocolate.

As soon as you're logged into the ship's intranet.

What exactly was missing from your Uniworld cruises? All inclusive isn't limited to drinks. It can include gratuities, transfers, shorex, etc.

Thank you for your balanced review. Is it true that NCL's drink packages don't include tips?

The new locks are rather meh. Why are they the highlight for you? Does the Rotterdam use the new locks? The old locks are a lot more interesting.

I've searched the Seabourn website and this forum, but can't find info on single supplements. Does it vary by ship/itinerary/time of year/cabin? Or is it a standard amt.? Any information is greatly appreciated. I'm looking at sailing solo on an Antarctic expedition cruise.

Glad to see you got a successful resolution to your problem. You didn't notice you had a $1,200 credit on your card?

I think the river cruise ads on TV give people a false impression of what's involved with river cruising. You just don't sit on a deck and watch beautiful scenery go by. To really see anything, you need to get off the ship and walk, and that's not always easy for the mobility impaired.

Make sure your travel insurance includes coverage for repatriation of remains. Otherwise you may have a logistical and financial nightmare.

How would a TA benefit from changing a cabin to guarantee and taking off included gratuities? Isn't the deposit and final payment charged directly to HAL?

Is there an included excursion in Regensburg? If so, I would do that. Is $300 the typical cost for a Viking excursion? I think that's steep. On my recent Tauck cruise, there were no added cost excursions. Even when we were bussed to Bruges, Ghent, and Delft, it was included. To the OP, I'm not criticizing your choice of Viking. I'm merely providing a basis for comparison for those interested.