wolfpackmom

Thank you, euro cruiser. Those suggestions sound wonderful. Do you have any restaurant reservations too? I'd love to have lunch somewhere with a view of the water.

Hello Everyone - I am looking to find a way to spend my day in Naples that doesn't include visiting a ruin (love them, but I've been to so many). I was going to visit the archaeological museum and the one with the sculpture of the veiled Christ, but both museums are closed on Tuesdays, which happens to be the day of the week our cruise gets in. I don't want to get on a tour bus and go anywhere. Can you please suggest something to do that is fun and keeps me in a safe part of town. 

Did anyone purchase products from the spa? Shampoo, body lotion, etc.? I want to know if only Canyon Ranch products are available, or if they carry other brands.

How much/what percentage do you think I should tip my private tour guide and driver? A little background--My friend and her husband hired Natalia a few years ago for their SPB visit. The husband's business partner is Russian, and Natalia is his sister.

Natalia works for a tour company, but gives private tours to family friends and friends of former clients. I have been corresponding with her for several months arranging my 3-day visit to SPB, and she has been very helpful and professional.

She will take us and another couple on the tour (my BIL and his wife) and has quoted me a price which seems very reasonable. She wants to be paid in US dollars, which is fine with me.

My question is, do I give her and the driver she has hired a tip? If so, should it be a percentage of the total bill. Please don't suggest that I ask my neighbor what she did. She is British, and very proper, and I don't want to discuss money with her.

I know weather is unpredictable, but generally speaking will it be warm enough to sun by the pool on my upcoming Baltic cruise leaving June 7 from Amsterdam? Also, is the pool heated?

My husband and I have a Sunday morning, 9:50 flight at Arlanda. I assume that I can just disembarked the ship at 6 am, and then hail a taxi to the airport. Anyone see any problem with this?

I guess I should mention that our ship arrives in Stockholm the day before, on Saturday morning. So we will be spending the night in Stockholm and we don't have to worry about the ship getting there on schedule, or clearing customs. Also, my husband and I are super-light packers, so we will be carrying our luggage with us, and we won't need extra time locating it at the port.

I stayed at a lovely hotel in Italy which had the most wonderful Bulgari toiletries in the bathroom. I wonder what people think of the Bulgari products that are now offered in the sky suites on Celebrity. Will you please let me know if you have tried them, what products were offered, and what you thought of them.

Is there more than one, handheld shower feature in the sky suite on the silhouette. I hope there is a regular ceiling shower as well, so that the able-bodied companion of the handicapped guest can take a conventional shower. Does anyone know?

Just read that the Pentagon is pulling all military families from the area, and that the State Department reissued a travel warning for Turkey due to increased threats from terror groups in the area.

Considering the liability involved, I can't imagine cruise ships wanting to stop in Turkey.

I doubt that any cruise lines will stop in Turkey now that the Pentagon has made this announcement (on Tuesday, March 29, 2016). The State Department also re-issued a travel warning for Turkey due to increased threats from terror groups in the area.

Turkey: US Defense Department Orders Evacuation of Military Families Due to Security Concerns

The Pentagon made the announcement on Tuesday. The State Department also re-issued a travel warning for Turkey due to increased threats from terror groups in the area.

Just updated from Travel Watch to Travel WARNING. I'd avoid the area. Below is from their website:

The U.S. Department of State warns U.S. citizens of increased threats from terrorist groups throughout Turkey and to avoid travel to southeastern Turkey. Effective March 29, 2016, the Department of State ordered the departure of family members of U.S. government personnel posted to U.S. Consulate in Adana and family members of U.S. government civilians in Izmir and Mugla provinces, and restricted official travel to Turkey to “mission-critical” travel only. U.S. Consulate in Adana remains open and will provide all routine consular services. This Travel Warning replaces the Travel Warning dated March 17, 2016.

Foreign and U.S. tourists have been explicitly targeted by international and indigenous terrorist organizations. U.S. citizens are reminded to review personal security plans and remain vigilant at all times. U.S. government personnel in Turkey remain subject to travel restrictions in southeastern provinces of Hatay, Kilis, Gaziantep, Sanliurfa, Sirnak, Diyarbakir, Van, Siirt, Mus, Mardin, Batman, Bingol, Tunceli, Hakkari, Bitlis, and Elazig. U.S. citizens should avoid areas in close proximity to the Syrian border.

For your safety:

Avoid travel to southeastern Turkey, particularly near the Syrian border.

Stay away from large crowds, including at popular tourist destinations.

Exercise heightened vigilance and caution when visiting public access areas, especially those heavily frequented by tourists.

Stay away from political gatherings and rallies.

Follow the instructions of local authorities in an emergency.

Monitor local media.

Stay at hotels with identifiable security measures in place.

For further detailed information regarding Turkey and travel:

See the State Department's travel website for the Worldwide Caution, Travel Warnings, Travel Alerts, and Turkey’s Country Specific Information.

Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive security messages and help us locate you in an emergency.

Contact the U.S. Embassy in Ankara, located at 110 Ataturk Boulevard, Kavaklidere, 06100 Ankara, at +90-312-455-5555, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. The after-hours emergency number for U.S. citizens is +90-312-455-5555 or +90-212-335-9000 (U.S. Consulate General Istanbul).

Contact the U.S. Consulate General in Istanbul, located at 2 Uçsehitler Sokagi, 34460, Istinye, Sariyer, at +90-212-335-9000.

Contact the U.S. Consulate in Adana, located at 212 Girne Bulvari, Guzelevler Mahallesi, Yuregir, Adana at +90-322-455-4100.

Contact the Consular Agency in Izmir at Izmir@state.gov.

Call 1-888-407-4747 FREE toll-free in the United States and Canada or 1-202-501-4444 from other countries from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).

Just saw this on US Dept. of State FB Page:

March 29, 2016

The U.S. Department of State warns U.S. citizens of increased threats from terrorist groups throughout Turkey and to avoid travel to southeastern Turkey. Effective March 29, 2016, the Department of State ordered the departure of family members of U.S. government personnel posted to U.S. Consulate in Adana and family members of U.S. government civilians in Izmir and Mugla provinces, and restricted official travel to Turkey to “mission-critical” travel only. U.S. Consulate in Adana remains open and will provide all routine consular services. This Travel Warning replaces the Travel Warning dated March 17, 2016.

Foreign and U.S. tourists have been explicitly targeted by international and indigenous terrorist organizations. U.S. citizens are reminded to review personal security plans and remain vigilant at all times. U.S. government personnel in Turkey remain subject to travel restrictions in southeastern provinces of Hatay, Kilis, Gaziantep, Sanliurfa, Sirnak, Diyarbakir, Van, Siirt, Mus, Mardin, Batman, Bingol, Tunceli, Hakkari, Bitlis, and Elazig. U.S. citizens should avoid areas in close proximity to the Syrian border.

For your safety:

Avoid travel to southeastern Turkey, particularly near the Syrian border.

Stay away from large crowds, including at popular tourist destinations.

Exercise heightened vigilance and caution when visiting public access areas, especially those heavily frequented by tourists.

Stay away from political gatherings and rallies.

Follow the instructions of local authorities in an emergency.

Monitor local media.

Stay at hotels with identifiable security measures in place.

https://travel.state.gov/…/alert…/turkey-travel-warning.html

I am interested in touring Rosenborg Castle but I hear this is difficult to do on your own for English speakers because everything is in Danish. Can anyone comment on this? Do they have English audio guides to rent?

We have a Sunday morning 9:50 am flight out of Arlanda, and I'd like to catch a cab to the airport. Any suggestions for what time I should leave?

We are leaving on Friday for this cruise so I appreciate your remarks. How was the temperature? Do I need warm clothes?

Would someone explain the Muster Drill? Donyou still have to stand out in the baking sun? Thanks

The ones I've attend have all been inside, not out on deck. They are a necessary but boring 15 minutes of the cruise.

My modus operandi is to get a cocktail and get to my station early to stake out the chairs that are closest to the exit, not in the middle of the room where the video is shown. This way, when the drill is over I am the first one to leave and I don't have to fight thru the crowd to get out of the room.

I read that Rick Steves, the quintessential light packer, always brings his own shampoo and uses the stuff the hotel supplies if he needs to wash anything by hand. So that's what I do too.

I just discovered via my Roll Call that my upcoming cruise to the Baltic capitals will be with Celebrity's CEO. How cool is that! I tried to search the forums for comments about past President's sailings but discovered nothing.

Below is a link from Celebrity about the cruise but it doesn't give any specifics. Can anyone shed some light on what I can expect?

http://www.celebritycruises.com/htmlpage/presidents-cruise

Had an early flight and arrived on time BUT the conveyer for the checked luggage was not working. We had to make the decision to make the flight and give up our big bag. If anyone is on Vancouver and sees a homeless person with a Princess robe from the USL tour - it is mine.Do not want it back. We needed to make the connection and gave up a few things in our big bag. Barely made the connecting flight at MSP. But great cruise, just lost some shirts and underwear. All is good. Many people did not make the flight and the stewards said 90% of people on plane were re-directed. We ran like heck to make the connecting flight. So all is good - just a warning to all going through VCR early in the morning (5:00am).

This sounds like something that could ruin a vacation and I'm glad it didn't ruin yours. I rarely check my bags any more just to avoid this type of situation.

Start having your fit, it is done right at the check in desk in front of everyone who is there.

Oh, Lord! Maybe I'll just take a Xanax with my morning coffee. I don't want to have a stressful start to my day!

You've got to be kidding, with your last comment. If you truly have this thinking, then this tour is NOT for you. Nobody wants to deal with this reaction/response, and even though, it is as considered "discrete", there is a WIDE range- from using a sign up sheet where everyone's weight is on the sheet. To having to state your weight, where essentially everyone, nearby, can hear you.

 

This is standard practice, which it appears you have not done before? IF you continue with this flight, you need to rethink your reaction.

I'm sorry you didn't understand that I was being hyperbolic and that such an exaggerated statement regarding wet ducks was not meant to be taken literally.

just say you weigh 260 and pay the fee. :)

 

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Now that is a diplomatic approach. Thanks for the suggestion, peety3

There are just some personal questions I don't like to be asked---Is that your natural hair color? Do you use Botox? What size are you? How old are you? How much money does your husband make? How much do you weigh? The list goes on and on.

I guess I could tolerate being asked my weight for the safety of all those on board, but it better be done in a discrete way or I'm going to have a WET DUCK FIT!

We are booked on a floatplane excursion via Celebrity Solstice in Misty Fjords, and I noticed the description said there is a weight limit of 250 lbs or else you have to pay a supplement if you exceed this weight. Do they take you at your word or do you have to hop on a scale before you take off?

Has anybody had an experience with this issue?