Canal archive

Oh keep going this cruise is really intriguing!

Jimmymac613 when you arrive at the airport just act like any normal VIP and look out for your name being displayed by what may seem to be some random person at the barrier.

I must admit to being astonished at the amount of holidays you don’t have in the USA. My husbands company attended a big exhibition/conference in the states different place every time so I, at first with our daughters and the just me would fly out to join him to travel for about two weeks after the event. When the Americans tried to do the same with a similar event held in Germany every two years the only group that seemed to get away with it were those employed by my husbands company. I really enjoyed getting to know the States and my daughters now really enjoy showing off the states to their families. I just wish we’d done the same with Australia & New Zealand as we have family somewhere in both.

We don’t go for the short versions always the long. We learnt from our very first cruise we returned wishing it was longer.

English Tim the hotel looks just as I like them just a bit quirky.

I wouldn’t be surprised I certainly hope you are.

We didn’t so I can’t wait another new experience !

We were on the first Scenic Gem cruise and the tour guides we’re learning as we went most were excellent and followed all along the route. Although we all had challenges with one gentleman! If you noticed the French in that area are very pro Brits, Aussies, Canadians, Americans & New Zealander’s well this guide wasn’t big time to the extent on the coach we certainly noticed it. Our solution raise the arm with two fingers extended and in unison say ‘remember Agincourt’ it worked like a dream, especially as there was no doubt about it his history knowledge was excellent.

One of the reasons I like Scenic is that we could most probably do each of their cruises again because of the two excursion choices per day and the change of excursions over the years.

Oh well done it’s a pity no choice at breakfast on Scenic we just have to put up with Veuve Clicquot oh dear what a pity never mind! Raise a Bucks Fizz to all.

Salamanca is one of the worlds heritage cities just to sit in the square and watch the world go by is a privalege when we went they where preparing for a world book event. It’s a city that wraps itself around you so vibrant and beautiful in my mind it was certainly worth the actually quite interesting journey which certainly did not seem that long.

Ohh like the masks!

Kenster where does it say ‘optional’ on the USA website or in the brochure. I can assure you that us ‘Brits’ are not forced to do anything and can ‘tip’ when and how we please the fact that it’s not part of our lifestyle is because we have attempted to ensure that employees don’t have to rely on tips to live so when we visit countries who seem to have a different ethos we go with the flow. If there’s one thing that gets right up my nose is a generalised assumption like yours. When Scenic first went all inclusive it was frowned on big time to even attempt to tip extra, luckily not now. Why should a Cruise Director get special treatment tip wise as they do in some cruise companies. We’ve always had exemplary service from Scenic staff who thinks of the maritime crew when tipping not you I bet. Well that’s my rant for the week so sorry if I’ve annoyed anyone I’ll go back and hide in my archive!

As I’ve said before on this thread different ships built by different yards just don’t necessarily line up, luckily now Viking has quite a few of their own mooring sites but this only helps a little because there are so many of them. How many river cruise ships lifts/elevators go up to the sun deck? What does sometimes happen is your ship arrives at its next mooring which entails breasting up/rafting but when you return from your excursion your ship is now on its own I’ve known this happen when excursions for the ship already there has been late or a delivery has been held up. We have had a pre dinner drink with a Canadian couple opposite our balcony on the boat next to us and then actually met them on our cruise three years later.

Now I know wonderful that’s sorted and I’ve worked out with my provider for little or no charge roaming mind you there’s a limit to the amount I can use. I’m well past the age of worrying about these things. And I’m of the generation that really started with computers. Oh well.

Yup also platinum so useful! Also Addlee has taken over Tristar.

Each time we’ve been driven by ‘Tristar’ they’ve never let us down even picking us up at silly o’clock, for Bristol, Heathrow and Paddington okay we’re in Wiltshire a little nearer to the M4 than Dorchester. Always comfortable car's.

We were on two of the first cruises to use the system and reception had phones you could borrow. As far as I remember the intercom system used for when your with a tour guide can be used to go wondering on your own they are loaded with different towns walks and heritage information. I’m sorry but the tech stuff leaves me cold I just use it.

Nothing for it your going to have to bite the bullet and go Scenic, you won’t run out of wine choice with them.

If you look at the, I think there called stickies, at the top of the page it lists the contact details for Sapphire, also you have more than a month before your cruise I doubt you’ll hear anything at least for a couple of weeks.

What can I say don’t ignore the Australians!

Doesn’t that defeat the object of the expression ‘sportsman’ how sad!

Here it is English Tim. Enjoy yourself lovely part of the world and the French are super they get better the further south you travel. There’s a particular cafe/bar in Arles where the proprietor is determined to practice his English we spent a super hour there during a flash storm.

Pete it used to be mailed but has been in the suite for some time although I think it may be phased out as the Scenic app that we were the Guinea pigs for is superb. You could borrow a phone from reception.

I can honestly say that over many years of river cruising we have only rafted/breasted up occasionally and then for a short period once when the shoreside vessel was awaiting the late return of an excursion which ended in a bit of a teasing session, what can I say but it’s great having so many Aussies on board. Once on the Moselle when an A-Rosa ship moored next to us, well it’s Captain was married to our Cruise Director lovely couple. Once when we shared a glass of wine with our next door neighbours something had gone wrong with a lock! A few other times but never for long. There are many more vessels on the rivers it’s why I’m glad Viking has its own ‘docking locations’. Most Captains preference is not to raft as it potentially could cause damage to their precious vessels.