miscellaneous questions

[meow!]

... was too large to carry with us ...

If you find the PVC folder of the yesteryears too large to carry, you will have to fold up the new booklet somehow (otherwise it will be even larger, though thinner). IF that is the main consideration, pehaps Celebrity's booklet (half the surface size) will be even more practical.

[Ship's Wake]

As far as postcards go, when you are at your port of call, if you happen to see a post office, drop in and buy a stamp and drop it in the mail box. Many post offices have machines that you can buy stamps from that allow you to choose English as the language - especially handy if your knowledge of the local language is limited.

 

On our most recent Oceania Insignia Western Mediterranean cruise, we purchased stamps from the post office in Spain, France, Monaco, and Vatican City. In Italy you can purchase stamps from the tabacchi stands (newstands) and drop you postcard in one of the numerous mail boxes around town. We found this to be a lot more exciting then just dropping our postcards at the ship's reception desk, as we got to interact with the locals at the post office.

 

If we couldn't find a post office or did not have time, then we had the ship's reception desk mail them for us.

[Druke I]

I'm another who likes the new documentation.

 

I found no need to fold it - it slides into my carryon perfectly.

[lcand1923]

The documents slip into our carryon very nicely. No need to fold them.

[meow!]

We are scheduled to hit the road in less than four weeks. It has been so quiet these days .. zz .. meow!

[tiny_traveler_15]

This afternoon, we received our documents. It came in a Fedex ground envelope. Inside there is a thin paper envelope, a booklet (just like Celebrity, except for larger paper size) which contains our cruise ticket, our air arrangement and some information on excursions offered. There is no leatherette pouch, unlike four years ago. There is also no leatherette luggage tags, again unlike four years ago, just sticky paper peel and stick tags.

 

So unlike four years ago, when Oceania perhaps tried to look luxurious, this time it is plain functional. Of course, we are only in B category. Do folks who are in concierge or suites get anything different? Just curious.

 

Meow,

We found the paper package to be perfect for our carry-on - less weight and slightly flexible so it was easy to fit among otehr items.

The luggage tages you are referring to will come but they come AFTER your cruise as a 'gift' for sailing with them. SInce this was our first cruise with O, I'm not sure if that's beacuse we're now members of the O club or if you receive them after every voyage....maybe repeat cruisers can tell you.

 

Have fun on your cruise and I wish you calm seas and fair winds!

[meow!]

The luggage tages you are referring to will come but they come AFTER your cruise as a 'gift' for sailing with them.

 

Have fun on your cruise and I wish you calm seas and fair winds!

Thanks. That is interesting!?

[LHT28]

Meow,

The luggage tages you are referring to will come but they come AFTER your cruise as a 'gift' for sailing with them. SInce this was our first cruise with O, I'm not sure if that's beacuse we're now members of the O club or if you receive them after every voyage....maybe repeat cruisers can tell you.

 

Have fun on your cruise and I wish you calm seas and fair winds!

 

You only get them after the 1st cruise ....or at least that is when we got them.

No additional ones since.;)

[hondorner]

And, unfortunately, one of ours fell apart -- the medallion became unglued from the leather. Figuring the same thing would happen to the other, I put it away somewhere and can't remember where.

 

(Old joke -- the older I get, the more I think about the hereafter. Every time I walk into a room, I say, "What am I here after?")

[orchestrapal]

They are so heavy we would never want to use them!:(

[meow!]

We will be hitting the road next week, is there anything else we should know? By the way, we will "post-cruise" on our own in Athens and Geneva, so we won't be back home till early November.

 

After we get home and have some good sleep, some time the first week of November, we will start writing our full report, and as usual, it will be done slowly, part by part, over a week or ten days.

 

Since we have already measured the cabin once (in April, 2004, which is still on this board), we will just reference it by link (as the Regatta and the Nautica should be identical, there is no need to measure again).

[tiny_traveler_15]

Sorry, no shuttles on any European cruise we have ever been on.:(

 

Meow,

I just read on the Insignia Rome to Venice thread that O provided some free :eek: shuttles on that cruise. Apparently this was in Puerto Vecchio (where they were diverted to) as well as Sorrento. That didn't occur on the cruise we were on (as I'm sure you know, Rome to Athens Aug 12) but it sounds like maybe O is making some changes on how they treat their cruisers.

Hope that you have some back-up plans for your cruise in case your ship gets diverted to other ports. From reading the other threads it sounds like Medit cruises have a high incidence of port changes. Make sure to have talked to your tour guides re: a back-up meeting place (like Naples for Amalfi, etc.) and how you will communicate the port changes to them.

Forewarned is forearmed!

Anyhow, I'm sure you will love the cruise, the ship and the crew. Be sure to try the chocolate lasagna!

Fair winds and calm seas....

TT15 :)

[meow!]

Thank you kindly for your news. We will be happy to have free shuttles, of course. We remember four years ago, when we tendered into Monaco on the Regatta, we had to walk our way to a local bus station, while passengers from the docked Silver Cloud had free shuttles into town.

 

In any case, we are the "taxi type", we do not prebook tours, and take taxis right beside the ship (negotiate the prices with the drivers) and go for perhaps several hours, sometimes even a full day (it cost us 220 euros in 2004 for Florence and Pissa, 240 euros for Rome). We figure that you will pay some US$240 for the ship's excursion anyway, and taxis are private, convenient and comfortable. In 2004, we also missed Almafi (?) and Sorrento, ending up in Naples overnight, we took a taxi tour to Pompeii, and went into town in Naples.

 

Well, we hope for calm seas, safe and smooth excursions, and thank you all for your good wishes.

[tiny_traveler_15]

In 2004, we also missed Almafi (?) and Sorrento, ending up in Naples overnight, we took a taxi tour to Pompeii, and went into town in Naples.

quote]

 

Meow,

You can easily take a drive along the Amalfi coast if you end up in Naples. Not sure if you're going to Amalfi/Positano and/or Sorrento. If so, please take a drive along the coast. It is one of the most charming drives - winding along the edge of the moutainside - but the views are breathtaking! Absolutely worth the time and money. I'd be happy to send you my pictures of that particular area if you wish to see them.

If you have an hour or two in Sorrento you should try al fresco lunch or dinner at Donna Sophia Restaurant on their sun shaded patio. It is tucked away...so much so that the restaurant waiters will meet you at the bottom of the hill to drive you up to the restaurant. The way there is so narrow they have to fold in the car mirrors! Quite an experience.

Again, my best wishes for a wonderful trip

TT15

[meow!]

I was talking about what happened to us before in 2004. This time we are going from Venice to Athens!

[lcand1923]

Meow,

Have a safe, wonderful trip! Can't wait to read your review.

Connie