steamboats

So finally there´s a new date for the hand over. It will take place on Wednesday, Dec 12th in Bremerhaven. The AIDAnova will then move on to the Canary Islands with a stop in Lisboa. The first cruise is to start on Dec 19th in Gran Canaria. steamboats

Good start into this new service... Train staff is on strike today!! Almost no trains are running all over Germany. My office is pretty empty as all the commuters stay at home. steamboats

That´s why I have no interest in booking the Oasis... I want to see the new stuff and what has changed. The ship can go only one itinerary in the Med which I have done on Allure, Harmony and Symphony. So for me - as well as for you - the ship is the destination. I´ve been on the Oasis the first 5 nights when she came out and on a regular 7 night Eastern Caribbian cruise in 2010. Then I "brought" her over to Europe in 2014. I was looking forward to a Westbound TA after the dry dock but that won´t happen. And I don´t think that us Europeans will book her pretty well as we´ve done with Allure, Harmony and Symphony. The later two have been brand new. The Allure was the first Oasis class ship staying a full Med season. So it was sort of new. But the Oasis is then 10 years old and by that regards an old ship. Many people will think she´s "worn out". And no, no new dry docks in the US. And Freeport can accomodate only "half" of the ship which they have done before to repair the azipods. steamboats

There´s no dry dock in the USA big enough for the Allure. The reason she spends a season in Europe is that she has to go into dry dock there (pretty likely in Cadiz). steamboats

Starting Sunday, Dec 9th, 2018 there´s a new Express train from Regensburg via Landshut and Freising to Munich Airport. The train runs every hour and it takes 75 min for the whole trip (13 min Freising - airport, 35 min Landshut - airport). Of course the train is also going from Munich airport to Regensburg . This is absolutely a first as for the last 26 years Munich airport could be only reached via S-Bahn (suburban train) out of Munich. The new train is also using the underground station at the airport which is currently for S-Bahn only. This might be of interest for those who organize an independent transfer from Munich airport. steamboats

No snow in my forecast for next Thursday... but that´s longterm... Should by freezing cold next week and some snow on Monday and Tuesday. Actually I don´t need any snow on Thursday... Have to head out to the airport for a surgery (yes, there´s a small private hospital). steamboats

Thanks all, I´ll let him know! steamboats

Chris, It´s currently looking pretty well. Danube river is still rising. All river levels on the German part are on "green" meaning no low water. But it´s still away from the first high water level mark. steamboats

No, he told me about the cabin and then added he had quite a bit of vibration due to The Club. Even the bed vibrated. Then I remembered that someone was talking about vibration but I did´t find that anymore. So for my post yesterday as an answer to the new question I actually asked DH for the cabin number (but it can be seen in his photos anyway). steamboats

Sounds pretty strange... all river levels on the Danube river changed from "very low" to "low" since yesterday and all of them are far away from the first high water level. With that river level there´s no bridge on the Danube river (neither in Germany nor in Austria, Slovakia or Hungary) which is currently too low. steamboats

DH was in 6162 and yes, he did have vibrations from the Club. steamboats

Lots of rain in the Nuremburg area yesterday and last night. They even had to close a major bridge over the canal as they fear it´s not stable anymore. This is currently causing big delays as it´s sort of an Autobahn. steamboats

I have a cruise booked for 2020. Told my DH to add the gratuities right now as you never know... Up to 2020 they can raise them twice. As for the previous raises... There was always a date line for those with booking to add the gratuities to their booking. But you had to pay them in advance (which I do anyway). steamboats

The App didn´t work on his pre-inaugural. And DH said he used the panel in the room. So obviously the one in the veranda does the job! steamboats

As for the RTL weather guy... yes, this might be the end. He´s predicting a lot of more rain for the rest of the week and said this will be the end of the low water period (RTL is a German TV station). steamboats