steamboats

Even when you cruise out of Vancouver you do need ESTA as all Alaskan ports are US. Immigration will take place at the port in Vancouver. You also need eTA for Canada. steamboats

Just outdoor cooking in summertime... Chicken kebap and grilled pumpkin. steamboats

We just had a couple of drops... DH was standing at the grill with an umbrella 🤣. steamboats

I bought it at least 10 years ago. steamboats

I bought it here in Munich at Kaufhof - it was on sale 😂. steamboats

So, here are more photos by my husband. steamboats

I totally agree with @lisiamc. American and British Italian food is far away from real Italian food. Even here in Germany you sometimes don´t get the real thing. Our "Spaghetti Bolognese" have nothing to do with a Bologna sauce. I love doing food tours. And yes, you do experience new stuff. I´ve done a food tour in Naples (more here). Although I´ve been to Naples many times for the last 30 years I´ve never heard of Taralli and now I have to buy some each time I´m there. Or I wouldn´t have dared to buy a fried pizza. The food tour gave me the history of this dish and we tried one - now a typical Neapolitan street food. BTW, on this tour we also had a full lunch. This tour wasn´t just a food tour but a combination of food and city tour. The guide told us a lot about the history of Naples and that part of the town. BTW, I´ve also done a food tour in Ibiza or a tapas tour in Barcelona. Another great tour was the old fishing port in Barcelona (including a climb up to the clock tower) which ended with a fish lunch in a nearby restaurant. I do love local food and I am experimental regarding food and try to discover new stuff. But basically, the ship "food" tours are not the real thing. I usually book independent tours for this. Each time we ended up with small groups or - in Ibiza - it was just the two of us. With food tours you get to places you wouldn´t have gone and try food you don´t know it existed. steamboats

I´d say it depends on what you want... American Queen Voyages has paddlewheel style boats only (with the American Queen being a real steamboat). They focus a lot on river history too. American Cruise Line has two steamboat style boats and six modern boats. Hard to say anything about Viking as they don´t cruise yet. But they want to deliver more or less the same product they have on European rivers. If you want the real Mark Twain feeling I´d go with American Queen Voyages. If you don´t care about this then compare the included stuff and the fares. Be aware that regarding the landscape New Orleans to Memphis is not really attractive. Up to Baton Rouge you will see a lot of industrial "architecture" behind the levees. But of course you have nice ports with plantation homes (Oak Alley, Nottaway) and historic towns like Natchez and Vicksburg. steamboats

I haven´t taken a Danube river cruise with VIVA but I have been on the new VIVA One for the christening. VIVA has an all inclusive concept with a nice bar menu. Food is pretty good as well. But you have to be aware that VIVA is basically a German river cruise company although they currently try to get the English speaking market too. So you might mainly find German passengers. The crew of course does speak English too. There was just a media trip on the VIVA One for UK media. I saw a lot of photos on IG. So there should be some English coverage on this ship and VIVA. People here in Germany are raving over VIVA. They deliver a great product. steamboats

Yes, he led the tour. BTW, on the Pride of America it was the Rebellious Fish which came from tap. If my memory serves me well. steamboats

Thought the same... I really like a good cocktail, especially Martinis. But I remember on the Pride of America they had those kind of premixed cocktails at the Ocean Drive Bar (pool bar). steamboats

My DH is still working on his photos and article. But here´s a little treat for you. Don´t worry, he´s not saying anything really important. As for the beer fans... I´m sorry, I don´t have good news (but there´s some hope): Although the Luna Bar has 36 taps it´s not 36 kinds of beer but also premixed cocktails and more. The Soleil Bar has the same 36 taps using the same "tanks" for the taps. Those photos which have been identified as crew bar indeed show the new High Dive Crew Bar on deck 18 forward (on top of the Observation Lounge). steamboats

As @BenCoudon said, fresh produces like eggs, milk, veggies are loaded locally. But other stuff including frozen fish and frozen meats are shipped in containers from the US to guarantee the quality. steamboats

I didn´t refer to the Prima itineraries. But actually although you do see a "duty free" shop at the airports in the Schengen terminals it´s not a real duty free. Prices are a bit lower than in regular shops but the real duty free shops you will only find in the Non-Schengen terminals. On the Oasis class ships the duty free shop selling cigarettes, liquor and more are either closed or have other stuff (souvenir, clothing) for the Med cruises out of Barcelona (which are Schengen only). steamboats

As the ship is only a couple of weeks in Europe... And actually as long as the ship is not calling a non Schengen country there is no duty free. steamboats

I don´t think so. They get the provision from the US. And they are all the same for all ships. Would be too much of a thing to change the beer as you have to clean everything for a new brand. steamboats

Very nice!! steamboats

Someone has to clean the Thermal Suite, provide the infused water in the Relaxation Lounge, clean the changing rooms, provide you with towels and robes... steamboats

No, that´s called CVV and it´s only used for online transactions. The four digit PIN code is used for all kind of machines - ATM, paying devices in supermarkets / shops / restaurants... ticket machines and many more. At those kiosks MSC is using you need the PIN (at least with a European card). Here in Europe we also have NFC chips built in our cards and can pay contactless and without PIN up to 50 Euro. Doesn´t matter whether it´s a debit or credit card. steamboats

@Seattle1964 I think I was less focused on food than other activities like an armadillo race 😂! BTW I purchased a Steiff armadillo later... and still have it. But back to the Danube river. There´s is some rain in the forecast but not really much. It may basically help to water the soil but won´t do much for the rivers. I also expect the Pfelling gauge to fall again as the rain which made it rise will only cause a temporarily rise. We´re expecting another heat wave next week. In Saxonia there are large wild fires. The helicopters are taking on water from the Elbe river (and the Elbe is on an extreme low too). The Czechs even opened up their reservoirs to help with some water. The wild fires are also on the Czech side. There are more wild fires in Germany in the state of Brandenburg. Just to show how dry it is and everyone is waiting for rain. The Elbe paddlesteamers are on an emergency plan - only one itinerary is up and sightseeing only. The paddlewheelers of Dresden are the last ones to stop as they have an extreme low draft. steamboats

Yeah, but it´s also not mentioned in the app or on the website (the Soleil Bar is). That made us wondering where it might be. I assume we´re gonna see more pictures today. steamboats

Yes, and we were wondering where it is as it´s not marked in any deck plans 😉. steamboats

@Seattle1964 I once got stuck in Paducah, Kentucky, for three days... Much better to go by bus. My shortest river cruise ever was lasting on for 23 hours from Passau with a stop in Dürnstein and then we ended up in Vienna. When we left Passau I pointed out the place where we had parked the car for unloading our luggage. It was already flooded. So the rest of the cruise was a bus trip to Bratislava, an overnight bus trip to Budapest, more tours in Vienna and finally a bus trip back to Passau. The crew and the captain gave their very best. But that´s part of river cruising - you can´t beat mother nature!! steamboats

Both The Stadium and Bull´s Eye Dart are marked green on the deck plan meaning activity/entertainment while the Speedway Bar is blue meaning bars/lounges. The NCL app doesn´t show a Luna Bar either. On the Encore there was an open area leading to the Speedway with some sort of shop. "Fan Gear" was written over the counters. Maybe that´s The Stadium. So just an entrance area for the Speedway. steamboats

Don´t see any bar there on the renderings. steamboats