Hlitner

Thought I would keep the thread active, since we are still in Europe (post Vista cruise) following what we preach (cruise + land is great). We have spent the last week in Austria (Graz, Salzburg, and Innsbruck) and had a fantastic time driving through the country, After a few days of cloudy (and some rain) weather, today is a beautiful day with temps reaching into the 70s F and the nearby mountains fully in their glory, This morning we took a local cable car up to the top of the local mountain where we had fantastic views (through a few fluffy low clouds). We later took a local tram over to a bell foundry/museum that has been in business for hundreds of years. Since we have debarked from the Vista, all of our driving trip has been to places that cannot possibly be accessed via cruise ship. But I want to talk about swollen ankles. After 50 years of cruising, we have never solved the mystery of why many get swollen ankles on cruises. There has been many CC blogs on the topic with many of us tossing out theory's. By the time we disembarked Vista on May 1, my ankles and feet were pretty bad (tough to even put on my shoes). Within 36 hours of leaving the Vista, both ankles and feet were back to near normal. Within 4 days they were 100% normal. This despite still being in travel mode, eating in restaurants, etc. For me, the mystery continues. Tomorrow, we drive back to Italy (Milan) where we will finally end this trip with our flight back to the USA. DW and I have really enjoyed the past week in Austria (a country where we have previously never spent more than a day in Vienna). Innsbruck is a decent tourist city that is surrounded by beautiful mountains, has a river running through downtown, an old town, etc. While we were in Salzburg, we did see river cruise tours (from both Viking and AMA), but here in Innsbruck that is not the norm. Like most trips in Europe, we have had our fill of churches and castles (at least until our next trip) and have climbed more stairs/ramps then expected. The reality of this kind of European travel is that it is very helpful to be both mobile and in shape. Walking 4-8 miles a day is our norm, and in this country too much of those miles are up and down. DW and I are already talking about a future cruise on O, but we will likely stick to either the Vista or new Allura. We did not book a future cruise (or future cruise credit) on the Vista, because we have our doubts about meeting the time requirements, Another issue is that trying to speak with one of the future cruise folks (onboard) generally meant a long wait or some careful planning. More hassle then we want, when on a cruise. Another Martini Bar friend (who has numerous O cruises) told us that is something he has long disliked about O (i.e. trying to get to speak to the future cruise folks). A minor complaint, but still worth mentioning. Hank

With the two O cruises we had booked (one of which we finally cancelled less than 3 weeks prior to the completely changed itinerary) we have had more cancelled and altered ports then in all of our 100+ cruises over the years. Why? Some of the changes were not completely the fault of O while others were certainly questionable changes Since O is not always transparent on changes, one can only speculate as to why? Speaking as a long time student of the industry (more than 50 years of extensive cruising) I do think there are differing corporate philosphies. Some cruise lines (HAL comes to mind) will do everything possible to keep to their itinerary, This can mean going to ports in bad conditions and giving it the old "college try." Sometimes it works and other times cruisers will have a missed port with a sea day. O, on the other hand, seems to more easily make itinerary changes based on forecasted weather, with the goal of changing to an alternative port or perhaps avoiding some nasty weather. Tjhis recently happened on our Vista cruise when, 2 days prior to our scheduled arrival, O changed Funchal to Madeira. They were hoping for more favorable conditions at Madeira, and it did work out. However, looking at the actual weather and sea conditions it did appear that we could have also gone to the original port (Funchal). Hank

The interesting part of this post is that Positano is generally considered a terrific place. Many folks who port at Naples, Sorrento or Salerno, will somehow make their way to Positano for part of all of their day. I do agree with Cruisemom, that on Capri, the Blue Grotto would be way down on list of how we spend time on that island. That being said, it is one of those overpriced tourist traps that most folks need to experience once. We do like everything about Ravello and find it a charming place for a 2 hour walk and perhaps a nice lunch. Hank

We have really embraced the "no no" term and think it is right on! Where to avoid the no-no? Having been on 18 cruise lines (#19 coming up late this year) we can think of no line that ignores the no-no's except, perhaps, the Explora Journeys folks. That being said, they are a new line (with very deep pockets) who will likely learn as they go and may well bow to the "no no pressure." I doubt if a ghost pepper will ever find its way onto a cruise ship (unless smuggled by a passenger). And basic things like garlic, onions, and oregano seem to be more and more underused. I could not help but notice that pizza in Waves, is made without oregano (unless it is specifically requested). In Italy, it would considered an essential ingredient. Hank

Tis true and we have considered that line in FP. But thought I should raise the issue since this is the O blog. Hank

While we really enjoy the MSC YC, in the Caribbean, we have no desire to cruise on that line in Europe. In Europe, MSC functions more like a ferry ship than a cruise ship. Folks are embarking/disembarking at nearly every port, and for those of us who treasure the socialization on cruises, this loses too much with folks constantly coming and going. Hank

Best sailaway anywhere? A night sail away from any city can be pretty. But when it comes to the best sailaways "anywhere" there are places like Kotor (in the daytime), cruising out of Venice (no longer allowed on big ships), Istanbul, Shanghai, etc. that we think are far more interesting than coming out of San Juan (even at night). Hank

Just beware of the FP cruise ship restrictions (i.e. no more than 1200 cruise passengers, per day, on Bora Bora). Hank

I will give my usual response to the subject question. Yes, one should try and cruise in the Med (we have done it dozens of times), but also combine the cruise vacation with some additional time on land, be it on an organized tour or independent trip via rental car or train. To us, this offers the best of both travel worlds (sea and land). We are living what we preach and are currently driving through Slovenia and Austria after a wonderful 35 days on the Vista (TA plus part of the Med and Adriatic). Land trips are not a substitute for cruises (especially for those who love being on ships) but neither is a cruise a good substitute for land. One will not be able to go up into the Swiss or Austrian Alps on a port day :). One possible compromise is a River Cruise, but that is its own subject. Hank

To reiterate the subject, we are currently on a driving trip (post O cruise) through Slovenia and Austria, before we drive back into Italy. DW and I do not speak more than a few words in either language, but this is not an issue. Everywhere we have gone (Lake Bled, Graz, Salzburg, and now Innsbruck), most speak some English or are completely fluent. As independent travelers, we routinely enjoy interacting with locals, which is where we learn lots of valuable info. Just yesterday, we stopped in a nearby wine bar for a late afternoon rest (and relaxation). We asked the two ladies, running the place, to recommend some decent Italian restaurants and quickly had two strong suggestions on an upscale pizza place and a higher end Italian restaurant. Last evening we went to the pizza place which was owned and operated by a couple of Sicilian gentlemen. The pizza was some of the best we have had anywhere (and that is saying a lot). I do think that many fellow cruisers get into the "Excursion mode" where they primarily do things with large groups of cruisers. While this does have some advantages, it does mean you go to tourist places and mostly interact with fellow cruisers and guides. In our experience, it is a lousy way to get the true feel/flavor os a city or site. Yes, you do get plenty of history, some tales, etc. but it is not quite the same as being by yourselves or in a tiny group and taking advantage of the opportunity to meet locals. In our experience, many folks are more then happy to share their knowledge (and favorite places) with visitors who smile, show some respect, and are curious. Hank

I think the OP needs to consider the geography of both Mykonos and Crete. Crete has over 600 miles of coastline and is more than 250 miles long. So no, you cannot simply walk around Crete :). If your port is Iraklion or Chania (just at that port 2 weeks ago) you can certainly walk around those port towns on your own (we have done it a few times). I should add that a highlight for many visitors to Crete is visiting the ruins at Knossos, and for this you will need a tour, taxi, or regional bus. Mykonos is primarily about a single city, Mykonos Town (also known as Chora). If you dock, you will be about a mile from town and can get to it via shuttle bus, taxi, or even walking. Once in town, folks can walk anywhere DIY. We were just there last week, and spent a few hours walking the narrow streets, browsing shops, stopping for a drink, etc. The streets are windy and narrow and it is easy to get lost, but you are never far from anything. Having a working cell phone and map program (such as Google maps) can be helpful. Otherwise, if you do lost/confused, just ask for help :). Hank

While I seldom disagree with you, I do not think that Rome is Northern Italy by definition or mores. Rome is in Lazio, which is considered part of Central Italy (there are 4 statistical regions in Italy). The cuisine of Rome (and central Italy) is quite different from much of Northern Italy is among my favorites and makes me quickly think of Osso Bucco and Risotto alla Milanese. My "personal chef" insists that while cream does show-up is some Italian recipes, much of the classic dishes do not use cream. Even pasta dishes like Carbonara and Alfredo do not use cream (if made classically). But what do I know? I just eat what I am served, always love it, etc :). Hank

Driving through parts of Europe now. Our T-Mobile works everywhere (in Slovenia at the moment) and we also use it as our GPS guide when driving. Hank

That HAL cruise was a 42 day Westerdam voyage around Japan, over to Alaska, and ended in Seattle. While we enjoyed that cruise (like all of our cruises) there was a lot wrong about HAL. As 5* Mariners with over 550 days on HAL, many would say we are loyal HAL cruises. But by the end of that Westy cruise, DW said to me, "do not book anymore HAL cruises! We were tired of the understaffing, logistic issues, poor or no entertainment, constant onboard accounting issues (we were overcharged 11 times during a single cruise), etc. We have no problem on larger ships (although we do prefer the smaller luxury vessels) but we have lots of problems with HAL. That being said, we would quickly book HAL if we had reason to believe that they were correcting some of our issues. Most recently, it has been posted that HAL is gradually bringing back Production Shows and that is a start. Interesting that there are no new builds on the agenda for HAL. By the way, we did enjoy the Japan/AK cruise so much that we booked something similar for 2025. But this time it will be on Seabourn :). Hank

Am really appreciating the info from a few of you about what you enjoyed in Slovenia. The rain finally arrived, tonight, during dinner. Since we managed to explore the Lake area today, while the sun still shined, we now thinking we must deal with a rain day...tomorrow, The cave info is appreciated, and we are now having some fun looking at the options. We are thinking about heading out to the Postojna Caves and nearby castle in the morning. This brings up another reason why we love independent travel. When the weather does not cooperate, you simply change your activities to work with the weather. Being in a cave on a rainy day is not much different on a sunny day 🙂. But when you are on a tour/excursion where you have paid for an specific itinerary, you will likely get what you booked, rain or shine. This happened to us, recently, when in Taiwan on a HAL cruise where we had booked a tour of a gorge. We were walking up and down slippery metal ladders and hiking over slippery trails as we all had to use our umbrellas. It was fun, but absolutely nutz. As an independent traveler would probably have changed their plans, but with pre-paid tours that is not going to happen. Getting back to O, I am not a fan of their Simply More program. It forces us to book overpriced excursions that we would never consider...otherwise. We talked to a few O fans who also do not like excursions and told us they will continue to cruise on O and just eat the SM cost. Like us, they are not fans of cruise ship excursions. My goodness, in Rovinji, we tagged along (for a few minutes) at the rear of a walking tour (about $100 pp). These folks were walking on the same streets as us (we paid zero) and the few minutes of guide-talk we heard was just boring. While I do understand that some folks like excursions, many others see them as boring. Trying to force us to pay for excursions we do not want is not the way to build loyalty It just reinforces our desire to be on our current favorite line (Seabourn) that does not include any excursions in their pricing. Hank Hank