loriva

We are on Viking from Reykjavik to Bergen with a stop on Svalbard.

Unfortunately, it could make sense. Princess--and the other mainstream cruise lines--are going for bigger and shinier. Princess got rid of the smaller, R-class ships we liked so well many years ago. Another clue is that the CB is only scheduled to be at Port Canaveral for one year. So, maybe...

Another random question after Reflections review. The descriptions of the computer courses sound really basic--and I'm far from a techie. Has anyone who has experienced them comment, please? If there is an instructor or topic you have found interesting and useful, would also love suggestions.

I'd try searching or posting here https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/463-greece-ports/ or on TripAdvisor for answers to that question.

While we're certainly not adverse to change, I hope Princess offers an option. We DO so love their classic pizzas!

DH and I love Al Stewart's music and have seen him multiple times in concert. Including doing the Year of the Cat about ten years ago at the Royal Albert Hall. Thanks for bringing back great memories of that (and the Proms!) Also, we have enjoyed your review of the CB (which we'll be boarding in December during its first sailings out of Port Canaveral, hopefully after it undergoes a refresh during dry dock next month) and your tours. The posts have given us lots of ideas for our visit to Iceland next year. And your photos are gorgeous! Many thanks,

One of the things I've noticed in the Reflections so kindly posted by @Keith1010 and @ryndam from their recent cruises on Serenity is that the Morning Update show is listed as starting only at 0800 hours. Does each day's version really appear that late? We're used to watching it on other cruise lines while enjoying our first cup of coffee in the day around 0600 hours. Just trying to be prepared. Many thanks,

I bought the set of plain ones many moons ago as well. I think there were four different colors and a vase of each size for each color. I gave many away to friends and relatives. Finally had to buy a new one--in the Van Gogh Starry Night design. I also use them for hotel stays since we tend to fly in early for cruises.

Do an online search for collapsible vases and you'll find many options. Basically, they are made from a plastic that gets soft when you fill it with warm water. You open up the bottom and shape the vase. Then pour out the warm water and refill with cold to "set" the shape. Add flowers and you're done. But...you could just ask your steward to bring one from the ship's supplies instead.

If you like Indian food, Kuti's on the waterfront has excellent food and service and is not overly fancy. Across the street is the Dancing Man Brewery, a fabulous gastropub. (And, yes, if the boat show is in town, definitely book ahead. We know from personal experience.)

As another first-time Crystal Ocean cruiser, thank you for your responses @BWIVince! Two brought up other questions for me: --Where do you go to check something you'd carry-on rather than checking at the pier (a roller board, for example)? I like this idea rather than potentially leaving something that might interfere with the steward's cleaning. --We usually carry our own refillable water bottles. Are there filling stations for these? (For example, on Regent they have these in the theater where you gather for shore excursions as well as the gym. Or you can fill from the large bottles in the cabins that are filled from the ship's water filtration system.) Many thanks,

Well, apparently my specialty is Beatles' tours. (Our dogs are named Paul and Ringo, so go figure...) In Hamburg, Stefanie Hempel gives a fantastic tour of the sites where the Beatles' played during their formative years in Hamburg: http://www.hempels-musictour.de/ We were too late for her seasonal tours but booked a private tour in December--it was COLD, but great!

We used George's Taxi for our transfers from the ship in Piraeus to the hotel in Athens and then hotel to airport as well as a day trip to Delphi. All experiences were great--drivers on time, cars clean and comfortable, and we felt safe on the roads. As @PaulMCO said, the drivers are not licensed guides, but it would be fine for an orientation tour if you are just interested in seeing rather than visiting sites.

While living in London, we discovered a great way to get that iconic Abbey Road Studio zebra crossing photo--take the bus! If you sit at the front seat (or stand briefly if the seats are all taken) on the top of the double decker, you will get the correct perspective from the album cover. Takes a bit of timing and coordination (plus at least two people) but it is pretty easy to do. One person boards a northbound bus a stop or two before the studios with the camera. The other prepares to cross from the studio to the east and steps out into the crosswalk as the bus is approaching. The bus needs to stop, the photo is taken, and then the subject continues across the street. The photographer hops off at the next stop and switches places. (Of course, if you have someone else with you more people can be in the photo.) Here's the list of buses that pass Abbey Road Studios: https://tfl.gov.uk/bus/stop/490007938E/abbey-road We toured Liverpool with Tim during our first visit there. His tour includes admission to John and Paul's childhood homes (National Trust properties). A fab experience was had by all: http://www.pooloflifetours.com/beatlesextravaganza.html. And have a wonderful cruise!

There is also the option to fly into the Melbourne-Orlando airport (MLB). You can rent a car (one-way and drop off near the port) from there and then spend a day or so exploring the lovely Space Coast or get a shuttle from MLB to Port Canaveral.

I-95 (or the Florida Turnpike for a fee) are always a crapshoot. Many accidents that could really upset your plans. And then there is the traffic in Ft. Lauderdale and Miami. The latter has been especially problematic due to construction on the approach to the cruise terminal exits. Yes, you can be lucky and reasonably drive in day of cruise. We're 200 miles from the South Florida cruiseports and will drive in the day before to avoid Murphy. For our cruise out of Miami next year we are considering a one-way rental to MCO and then taking Brightline to Miami, spending the night, and then taxi or ride share to the port the next morning. We like to start our cruises as stress free as possible. I just drove almost to Port Canaveral from home two days ago for an event in Cocoa. The most traffic I faced was about a dozen cars around me when stopped at stoplights on Route 1. Total time about 30 minutes. For those of us used to the lower traffic activity in Central Florida having more cruise line options at Port Canaveral is a wonderful thing! As is the many cruise port choices in Florida--each can do what works for them!

DH LOVED the sound of the butter and ginger seared grouper on the Waterside lunch menu! What are the chances past Crystal cruisers think that dish will show up on a NE and Canada itinerary vice Mexican one?

Since Regent opens up shorex reservations a year before the cruise, we have always sent in our form and proof of ownership a week or so before that. And had them approved and applied to our account. Then we can use them for Regent Choice (for-fee) excursions or the Culinary Arts Classes (which also fall under the Destinations department).

Our checked bags also failed to show up in Venice last year for our sailing on Splendor. In our case, staff at FRA decided our bags wanted some extra time in that city rather than moving onto Venice (although we had plenty of transfer time). The bags were on the next flight that day into Venice, but then sat overnight at Marco Polo airport. They did not arrive at the Molino Stucky until the afternoon of the following day. Thank goodness for AirTags as we knew where the bags were and could advise staff of the same! (And that we have adjusted our travel planning post-pandemic to arrive at least two days and nights prior to sailing.) You may no longer have time given the time difference, but the restaurant La Palanca a few minutes' walk from the hotel was lovely. But they only serve full meals through lunch. You can get drinks (try a Select Spritz) and snacks after that.

We'll be traveling on Voyager for the first time in February. Looking forward to the new experience after two cruises each on Explorer and Splendor. Will be following here and on your blog (and look up your previous cruise on the latter.) Many thanks,

As I said, they have the option to add them to the excursion. It seems like sometimes they do and sometimes not. I wonder if passengers asking for them at Destination Services would foster any change to make them standard? I'd like to see them on every excursion that involves walking or inside visits. The differing walking speeds of the groups ends up with them spread out and people away from the guide miss out. Same within smaller spaces like castles. We experienced the benefit of the QuietVox system on a tour with Viking River earlier this year where the group ended up spread out over multiple rooms within a castle--yet we could all still hear the guide.

Believe we were on the same post-cruise visit to Singapore. Agree with the points made. The Fairmont is also within walking distance of the Singapore Flyer. If you do the trip at sunset, you'll get a great view of the lights coming on at the Gardens by the Bay over the water.

A local guide told us on one of our excursions on a Med cruise on Splendor last year that Regent has the option to have the local operator provide listening devices--at an additional cost--but chooses not to do so.

Please let us know what you hear on board about what Princess is planning to do to the CB during the dry dock.

But you can get the awesome ahi tuna sandwich at the Pool Grill on Regent as well as the lobster nachos ("extra lobster, please"). Those plus the Regent "cocktail of the ship" are our traditional lunch upon boarding. We'll be trying the "Mariner" cocktail for the first time next February. We'll be doing the opposite, @Blowfish64--taking our first cruise on Crystal Serenity in October after four cruises with Regent since 2021. We are looking forward to making the comparison after reading all the rapturous reviews on the Crystal boards.